


A Dream Dreamt Together

by oliviasdreamscape



Category: Fringe RPF
Genre: Babies, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Marriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-07
Updated: 2012-12-07
Packaged: 2017-11-20 13:12:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 63,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oliviasdreamscape/pseuds/oliviasdreamscape
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The following is a novella-style fanfic written solely by <a href="http://oliviasdreamscape.tumblr.com">oliviasdreamscape</a> on tumblr :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written by [oliviasdreamscape](http://oliviasdreamcape.tumblr.com) on tumblr :)
>
>> Originally, I wrote this novel of a fanfic just for my own satisfaction. However, I got quite a few requests from people who wanted to read it, so I decided to post it. Just keep in mind that this is an extremely happy and quixotic fic, so if you like angst and sadness, then this isn’t for you. There are 67 chapters, but they range from a few paragraphs to a few pages. Anyway, since Torvson is so perfect, I thought a slightly cheesy, romantic, fairytale love story would be wonderful. And when I say slightly, I mean substantially. So without further ado, here it is. Hope you enjoy :)
>> 
>> Oh and by the way, I am an American so if my description of Australia sucks, that’s why :)

**_Prologue_ **

_It had been 3 months since filming the series finale of Fringe. Sure, there had been tears, but most everybody seemed more happy than sad. Everyone was excited to finally start a new chapter in their lives, especially Josh Jackson. A little over 3 years ago, he and his partner of 6 years had separated. They had been drifting apart for a while since they rarely saw each other. She was in Paris filming various films and he had been in Vancouver. Even though they hadn’t seen each other in months, it was still pretty hard on Josh when they officially broke up. But as the days went by, he started to realize things about himself that he never had before. Things that he had been holding back to please Dianne, which, at the time, he didn’t know were making him more and more melancholy by the day. At first, he only realized little things, like the fact that he actually hated her “famous” green bean casserole and the stupid ties she picked out for him. But as time went on, he began to notice some bigger things; like the feelings he had for his “Fringe” co-star, Anna Torv._

_Josh had always thought she was beautiful. The first time he saw her, he literally did a double take. When Joel Wyman and J.J. Abrams said that she was going to be playing the role of “Olivia,” Josh had to hide back his excitement so he wouldn’t look like a kid experiencing his first crush. When he finally got to meet her, that unexpected, charming Aussie accent almost made his knees give out. As the first year of filming went by, his feelings for her deepened as he got to know her better and better. Then after being together virtually everyday for five years, they became best friends._

_What had really made them close was Anna’s divorce from her husband, Mark. Anna took it pretty hard, and leaned on Josh for support. He absolutely hated seeing her in pain, but knowing that he was the one that comforted her made him happy. Then, when Josh separated from his partner, Anna was his shoulder to cry on. Being there for each other during the lowest points of their lives gave them a special, unbreakable bond. They knew each other’s deepest darkest secrets, and biggest, most impossible dreams._

_Yet, there was no doubt that they both had feelings for each other. They both knew it, as well as everyone else, no matter how much they tried to deny it. Even though Josh had wanted to tell Anna about his feelings for her for quite some time, they were both afraid that if something went wrong while they were dating, that their bond would be broken. Neither of them would be able to handle that. Especially Josh. Anna was everything to him. His best friend, the person he cared about most in the world; he couldn’t bear losing her…_

**_Chapter 1_ **

The clock read 3:04 A.M. Josh was sprawled out on his bed, and hadn’t even bothered getting under the covers. Even though it was chilly in March in Vancouver, Josh knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway. No use getting comfortable. Just like every night for the past couple of months, Josh had lay awake for most of the night thinking about Anna. And when he finally fell asleep, he dreamed about her. Dreaming about her was the worst because he always had to wake up, disrupting those perfect moments of sublimity with Anna. He always felt a little depressed after waking from those dreams.

But tonight was different than the others. Josh had fallen asleep, and like every night lately, dreamt about Anna. Yet this time, it was the most vivid dream he’d ever had. They were on a beach somewhere beautiful, watching the sunset. Anna was in bikini with what looked like one of his white undershirts overtop of it. Her golden hair was reflecting the peach colored sun as it sank below the horizon; she was absolutely breathtaking. She was gazing at him with those enchanting peridot eyes, seeing right through him and into his soul. Josh knew he needed to tell her how he felt. But as he opened his mouth to speak those precious words, his utopia started fading away until all he saw was the white ceiling of his cold, dark bedroom. As he lay awake, more depressed than he had ever been before, Josh decided it was probably best to just get up.

He purposelessly stepped out of bed and slowly scuffed toward his kitchen to make a pot of coffee. When the coffee was done brewing, he put in two sugars and went into his living room to see if anything good was on TV. As he settled for a late night re-run of Everybody Loves Raymond, he took a drink of his coffee and almost gagged. He was dumbfounded as to why it would taste so bad when he realized that he had made his coffee the way Anna liked it—with no creamer. Josh had to laugh at himself. He had been making coffee for nearly 20 years, and he couldn’t even get that right anymore. This was getting absolutely pathetic.

Yet, he just couldn’t get her out of his mind. It was like trying to know somebody you’ve never met—simply impossible. He had tried getting numerous acting jobs, but just couldn’t stay focused on the character long enough to land the part. He even tried hanging out with some of his old buddies, but even they found him too depressing and slowly drifted away. As Josh sat on his couch, TV blaring, cold coffee in hand, he knew what he had to do.

 Josh couldn’t handle not seeing Anna for another day. It had been exactly 94 days since he had seen her, and it was killing him. They had talked on the phone almost everyday—sometimes numerous times, but it just wasn’t the same. He missed her face, her smell, the way she would hug him a little longer than everyone else, and… just everything. He honestly couldn’t think of one thing he didn’t miss about her.

Josh practically ran to get his MacBook from its charger on the kitchen table and pulled up Travelocity.com. Before he could talk himself out of it, he bought a one-way ticket to Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. He had always been the spontaneous type. Josh sat back in his chair, and gazed at the computer screen, which read: “Success! Your flight details and receipt have been emailed to the address provided.” Smiling, he opened up his email and printed his flight information. Holding it in his hands, he stared at it in disbelief—he was really going to see Anna. He knew this was a bold move. He had never even been to Australia, let alone an inkling of an idea of what to do when he got there. But he didn’t really care. Seeing Anna was all that mattered to him, and if he wanted to see her, Australia was where he needed to be. His plane was leaving Vancouver International Airport at 10:00 AM, and it was too late to go back now. Looking at the clock, Josh practically jumped out of his chair. It was almost 8:00 AM, and he hadn’t even started packing.

 

**_Chapter 2_ **

            The warm sunlight eased through the opening of the curtain in Anna’s bedroom at her mother’s home in Australia. She couldn’t help but smile at the smell of banana-blueberry muffins her mother was undoubtedly baking. She had missed this so much. Anna yawned, stretched, and opened her sleep-heavy eyes to another beautiful day.

            A couple weeks after filming the series finale of “Fringe,” Anna had decided to come back home to Australia. At first she was planning on getting a place in Melbourne, but decided to live with her mother in Gold Coast for a while first. Her father had been out of the picture since she was 8 years old, and she knew her mother got lonely sometimes. They were both so close, and being away from her mother for 5 years had been tough on Anna. If it wasn’t for Josh, she might have quit “Fringe” and came home. He was always there for her no matter what. Even though she adored her mother and loved being home, she missed her best friend more than she could have anticipated. She hadn’t gone this long without seeing him in all the time they’d known each other.

            Even though Josh was her best friend, she had undeniable feelings for him. She’d always believed that you couldn’t help but fall for your co-star a little bit while playing their romantic interest, but this was different. The way she felt about Josh was much deeper than any of the other men she’d played a love-interest to. She knew he felt the same way for her, but neither had ever said or done anything about it. Initially it was because they were both in relationships. But after both of them split with their partners, that chemical attraction increased with every passing day. Anna knew the reason they held back their feelings was because they didn’t want to ruin their friendship. Neither of them had to say it; it was just something they both knew. They couldn’t risk losing each other.

            Anna pulled her long blonde hair back into a messy bun and wafted down the stairs towards the source of the marvelous smell.

            “Annie! You’re awake! How’d you sleep, sweetheart?” Said Anna’s mother, Susan, cheery as always. Anna looked almost exactly like her mother, except for the eyes. Susan had eyes as blue as the sky, and was also a tad bit shorter than Anna. Her blonde hair was streaked with grey and she’d but on some extra weight over the years, but she was still one of the most beautiful women Anna had ever seen.

            “Morning, mum. I slept great, how about you? Anna said. In reality, Anna hadn’t been sleeping well at all. For the last couple of months, she had been waking up numerous times during the night. Every time she woke up, she felt sad and lonely, but wasn’t sure why. She knew she was dreaming about something that made her morose when she awoke, but she could never remember what the dream was about. She would lie there for hours racking her brain for any recollection, but it would only frustrate her further. No matter what she did, she could never remember the dream. There was no use telling her mom she wasn’t sleeping well, though—Susan would probably make a much bigger deal of it than it actually was. But that was one of the reasons Anna loved her so much.

            “I always sleep well when you’re home and I know you’re safe. Here, sit at the table. Breakfast is ready” Susan said.  Anna’s mother put on her pink oven mitts, and reached into the hot oven to pull out the muffins.

            “Oh mum, those smell spectacular,” Anna said.

            “I’m glad you think that, because you need to eat,” Susan said. Anna looked down at her feet diffidently. It was true; Anna had lost weight. Not that she was trying to, but because she just hadn’t been that hungry. Sometimes she would go the whole day without eating and only notice when she would start to feel weak. Her mother eventually started to notice this, and ever since, had been preparing all of her meals and watching her eat them. Anna refused to let her mother do this for her at first, but Susan insisted. Anna was not about to argue with the most stubborn woman alive. Initially, Anna had believed that being on “Fringe” had given her a wacky eating schedule and that she was still getting used to being back home. But as the weeks went by and it only got worse, her mother stepped in. Noticing Anna’s discomfort, Susan spoke up:

“Annie, I wish you would tell me if something was bothering you. You know you can tell me anything.”

            “I know, mum. But quite honestly, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I thought I’d be used to being home by now and getting back into a normal routine,” Anna said, confoundedly. She decided to change the subject so she wouldn’t get prodded with more questions she couldn’t answer.

“But these muffins do look great,” she said, taking two and putting them on her plate. She wouldn’t be able to eat two, but she knew it would please her mother. “Thank you so much for making them and taking care of me. I love you.”

            “You are very welcome, my sweet girl. I love you, too,” Susan said, kissing Anna’s cheek with the soft, warm affection only a mother can give. “I’m going to go out back and check on the animals for a while. You know where to find me if you’re looking.” Susan caressed her daughter’s cheek, and sauntered toward the back door and into the warm, Australian, morning air.

            After Anna ate her breakfast (an entire muffin, which she thought was pretty good), she headed back up the stairs towards her bathroom to take a shower. She turned the water to the hottest bearable temperature she could, and began to undress. Taking her hair out of its bun, she turned toward the mirror and took a look at herself. God, she had lost weight. And the dark circles under her eyes made her look like she hadn’t slept in weeks, which in reality, she hadn’t. She looked terrible and was surprised her mother hadn’t said anything. Anna continued to stare at this strange woman in the mirror until the steam of the hot shower fogged over the foreign reflection.

 

**_Chapter 3_ **

Josh got his bags packed and headed out the door and into a taxi in a record time of 30 minutes. He literally ripped clothes off of their hangers and from drawers, not even knowing what he had grabbed. He packed minimal toiletries, deciding to just buy new stuff after he got through security at the airport. He only lived 10 minutes away from the airport, but traffic made all the difference when estimating time. He desperately prayed the traffic wouldn’t be too bad.

When he arrived to the check in counter at the airport, it was 8:45 AM. Traffic had been pretty light that morning, thank goodness. Josh briskly walked toward the check in kiosk and entered his flight information, and the machine instantly spit out his boarding pass. He grabbed his pass and walked up to the lady at the counter so he could check his bags.

“ID and boarding pass, please,” mumbled the obviously uninterested lady behind the check in counter. Josh gave the woman the items she requested. “Bags, please,” the lady mumbled as she gave him back his ID and boarding pass. Josh put his 2 bags on the scale, where they were then tagged and put onto a conveyer belt to be sent to his plane. “Have a nice trip,” the woman uttered. Oh, I will, Josh though. It would be much more than nice.

            By the time Josh got through security and stepped into his gate, the plane was already boarding. He was just in time. Everything seemed to be going great for him today; he sincerely hoped his good luck was a predictor of how his trip was going to go. Josh got in line with everyone else, and boarded the plane for a 34-hour, 2 layover, flight to Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

 

**_Chapter 4_ **

Anna had spent most of the day in her front yard reading a cheesy romance novel she found at an old bookstore. She loved to lie in the sun and enjoy Australia’s constant warmth. Aside from a few small projects and interviews, Anna had taken a break from the acting world. It was nice to finally be able to relax and take some time for herself. However, after 3 months, she was starting to miss it. But she didn’t think she was ready to go back just yet. Something about her was off, and she knew she needed to figure out what it was before she took on a whole other character. Realizing she had been reading for about 4 hours, she decided it was time to give her eyes a break. She shut the book, and went to go see what her mother was doing. She suspected Susan was still outside tending to the animals, but when she went inside the house, she found her mother making sandwiches and lemonade. Her mother looked up and beamed when she walked in.

“Hi, Annie! I thought it was about time for some lunch. Come sit, dear,” Susan insisted. Anna smiled and took a seat at the kitchen table. She loved the fact that her mother had hardly changed anything about her home since Anna was a child. The kitchen was still painted a warm yellow with a red accent wall, decorated with beautiful pastel paintings that brought all of the colors together. When Anna was a little girl, she used to stare at the paintings and pretend she was in them. Her favorite painting was of a street in Italy with charming little shops and happy people going about their day. She couldn’t wait to go explore the world and see places like the one in that painting. Little did she know how much she would miss home when she actually did go explore the world. Being here in Australia made her feel comfortable and safe; it was where she belonged. Even though she was sure she belonged here, she couldn’t help feel like there was something missing. She wished she knew what it was. She was getting so close to figuring it out, too. It was just out of her reach. She could feel the electricity in her fingertips as she got closer and closer to touching it…

“Annie? Did you hear me?” Susan asked, snapping Anna out of her daydream.

“No, mum, I’m sorry. What did you say?” Asked Anna.

“I asked if you wanted strawberries to go along with your sandwich.”

“Sure, sounds fantastic. Thank you.”

Susan put a heaping pile of fresh strawberries in a bowl, and covered them in a thick layer of cream. She pushed the bowl towards Anna, along with a plate containing a grilled pesto turkey sandwich, 2 pickles, and a handful of Thins potato chips. Anna hoped her eyes didn’t widen too much as she stared at all of the food she undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to eat. She slowly picked up the sandwich and took a bite.

“How is it?” Susan asked

“Wonderful, mum. Thanks again,” Reassured Anna. She took another bite, and hoped that her mother wouldn’t watch her eat the entire meal. The sandwich was delicious, but she just wasn’t hungry enough to eat all of this. Almost on cue, the phone rang, which was in the living room. Susan had a cell phone, but was one of the few people in the world that used her landline more than her mobile. Susan answered the call, and as soon as the conversation began, Anna knew her mother wouldn’t be checking up on her any time soon. Susan was an extremely social person with many friends, and spent quite a bit of time discussing just about everything under the moon to them on the phone. When she wasn’t working outside or making Anna eat, of course.

 

**_Chapter 5_ **

34 hours and 8 minutes later, Josh landed at the airport in Gold Coast. To say he was exhausted would be an extreme understatement. The last plane he was on wasn’t very comfortable and smelled a little bit like mold, so he didn’t sleep at all. This was strange since Josh always fell asleep on planes. When they opened the doors and let the passengers off of the aircraft, Josh wandered off the plane and followed the signs for the baggage claim. As he was waiting for his bags, he looked around the airport. It was 1:00 AM, so the place wasn’t very busy. Although it didn’t look much different than any other airport he had been to, he did notice that the people seemed genuinely happier and much more friendly than the people in Canada or the States. He wondered why that was. When his bags finally arrived, Josh picked them up contemplated what to do next. He really hadn’t thought this through. Should he rent a car? Would he be able to drive on the opposite side of the road? Were there taxis in Queensland? What hotel should he make reservations at? How long was he even staying in Australia? Josh knew he wouldn’t figure anything out without some sleep. He decided to find a hotel first. He walked up to one of the service desks and told the man behind the counter he was looking for a hotel.

“Would you like a hotel close to the airport? We could provide a shuttle for you if you don’t have transportation arrangements,” The man assured, kindly.

Josh thought for a moment, and decided that this cordial man would probably be the best person to answer his questions. “Actually, I would like a hotel near this address. I’m here visiting a friend,” Josh responded, showing the man Anna’s address. He knew Anna had been living with her mother for the past few months, and had gotten her address from Anna a while back. “And if you haven’t noticed already, I’m not exactly from around here. I’m not sure if I could be trusted with a rental car. Are there taxis around here?”

The man beamed at Josh. “Yes sir, there are taxis that can get you to most locations. Let me look for some hotels near your friend’s address for you.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

            The man took his time and found Josh a nice hotel and also gave him the number of a taxi service that would take him anywhere he needed to go. After making sure Josh was pleased with his hotel and transportation arrangements, the man wished him a “g’day.” Josh was already starting to love this country, and he hadn’t even gotten out of the airport.

            Josh had to force himself to stay awake for the 30-minute drive to his hotel. When they finally arrived, he paid the driver, got his bags, and walked into the hotel. He was staying at the Hilton—who knew they had Hiltons here in Australia? He was starting to see there was a lot he didn’t know about this place. Although he couldn’t wait to see Anna, he was also excited to explore this beautiful country. When he walked up to the front desk, the lady smiled at him.

            “Hello, sir. How may I help you?” Asked the lady.

            “Hi. I would like a room. I’m not sure for how many days, though. Let’s just start with today for now,” Josh replied.

            “Alright, sir. Could I get your name, please?”

            “Josh Jackson.”

            “Okay, Mr. Jackson. Could I get your credit card, also?”

Josh handed her his card. She swiped it on the computer, and handed it back to him. After a few moments, she handed him his room key.

“We have you in room 264, Mr. Jackson. Just walk to your left, and you will see the elevators. I hope you enjoy your stay with us. Have a wonderful day.”

“Thanks, ma’am. You too.”

Josh followed the lady’s instructions, and found the elevators. He pressed the button to go up, and the doors opened right away. He got inside, and pushed the button that said “2.” When Josh finally got to his room, he practically floated onto the bed. He was so exhausted; he didn’t even remember how he got there, or what had just happened in the last 36 hours. Before he could even try to remember he fell into the deepest sleep he’d had in weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 6_ **

It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and Anna had not done anything the entire day. She felt lazy, but in all actuality, she was simply exhausted. Last night she guessed she’d only got about 3 hours of sleep. What was wrong with her? It was never this bad before. Hating feeling like a bum, Anna decided to go to the farmer’s market to look around. Maybe she would make her mother dinner tonight, for a change. She grabbed the keys to her car, and headed out the back door to tell her mother where she was going.

“Mum? Are you out here?” Anna yelled.

“Yes, Annie! I’m right here!” Susan called back as she appeared from behind a large bush. “Do you need something, sweetheart?”

“No, I don’t. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to the market. Do you need anything?

“Actually, would you mind stopping by the Martin’s place on your way back? Shelly just finished reading a book that she said I would really enjoy. She told me to come get it later, but if you’re already on your way out, would you mind?”

“Not at all, mum. I’d be happy to. I’ll see you when I get back.” Anna kissed her mother’s cheek, and walked around front to her car. As she got in, she realized yet another thing she loved about being home: cars with steering wheels on the right side. Anna backed out of the driveway, and headed towards the city.

 

****

**_Chapter 7_ **

Josh woke up to bright sunlight seeping through the curtains. He had been dreaming about Anna, and always hated waking up. When he opened his eyes, his heart started to race a little bit when he didn’t see the familiar white walls of his bedroom. Finally realizing where he was, Josh felt a smile growing on his face. He was in Australia. He was in the same city as Anna—only a few miles away from her house, in fact. He looked at the clock; it was 2:38 PM. He must have been more exhausted than he thought, because he hadn’t slept that hard or long in months. He knew he should probably call Anna before he went to see her, but he found the idea of surprising her pleasing. He loved the way her face slowly lit up when she was surprised. Besides, he was a sucker for doing unexpected things, and Anna knew that better than anyone. Josh reached into his pocket, found the number for the taxi service the man at the airport had given him, and started to dial it. Before he could press send, he stopped himself. He couldn’t go see Anna looking—and smelling—like this. Josh decided a quick shower and a change of clothes probably wouldn’t hurt..

After he got cleaned up, he called the taxi service; they said they’d be there in 5 minutes. Before he headed down the stairs, Josh looked at himself in the mirror one more time. Not bad, at least I don’t have the usual bags under my eyes, he thought. Approving of himself, he walked out of his room and to the elevators. When he got to the lobby, his taxi was just pulling up. Right on time.

****

**_Chapter 8_ **

It was already 3:30, and Susan had yet to start supper. She had been outside tending to the yard and the animals all day long. Deciding to call it a day, Susan walked into the house to get cleaned up. Anna wasn’t back from the market yet, but Susan suspected she’d be hungry when she got home. Or at least hoped she’d be. Her daughter was getting thinner and thinner by the day, and Susan had no idea why. She didn’t think Anna knew why, either. All Susan could do was make sure she was eating so her Anna didn’t get any skinnier.

After washing up and putting on some more comfortable clothes, Susan headed down the stairs to start on dinner. As her foot reached the bottom step, she heard a knock at the front door. Wondering who would be at her home at this hour, Susan opened the door, and was stunned. In front of her stood a tall, handsome young man in his mid thirties. She knew right away it was Anna’s co-star, Josh Jackson, from “Fringe.” She had never actually seen him in person, but knew Anna was very fond of him from what she had said and all of the pictures she had of them together.

“Hello, ma’am. My name is—“ Josh started.

“Oh, I know who you are! Please, come in!” Susan claimed, as she ushered Josh into her home. “My name is Susan; I’m Anna’s mother. If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here? I don’t recall Annie telling me she was expecting a guest.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, ma’am. Anna has spoken very fondly of you. But Anna didn’t say anything about me coming because she doesn’t know I’m here. I wanted to surprise her.”

“Oh honey, please call me Susan. Anna actually isn’t here at the moment; she went to the market about an hour and a half ago. She should be back soon, though. Can I get you something to drink?”

Susan motioned for Josh to take a seat on the sofa, and he sat.

“Oh, no thank you. You have a lovely home, Susan. Anna has told me that you have animals?”

Susan sat across from him in her favorite armchair.

“Thank you, that’s kind of you to say. And yes, I most certainly do. They keep me busy, that’s for sure. So, when did you get to Australia?”

“Actually, I got here at about 1:00 AM.”

“This morning?!”

“Yep. I’m staying at the Hilton a few miles a way from here. I decided to get some sleep and clean up a little bit before I came to see Anna, though.”

“Wait, did you come all the way from Canada just to see Annie?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Well isn’t that just the sweetest thing. I’ll call her right now and ask her if she’s almost home. I just can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees you!”

“Me neither. Should be a memorable moment.”

In fact, Josh could barely contain himself. This was really happening. He couldn’t believe he was sitting in Anna’s childhood home. The living room was very cozy. It was painted soft beige with a large grey sofa and a matching armchair. There was also a beautiful mahogany piano in the corner. Looking to his left, Josh saw a staircase leading to the top floor. That must be where Anna’s room is, he thought. Yet, the best part of the living room was the pictures of Anna and her brother, Dylan, as children that lined the walls. Unlike most girls, Anna just didn’t go through an awkward stage. She was the most beautiful girl, teen, and woman he had ever laid eyes on. How was it possible for someone to be so perfect?

“Anna is on her way home. She should be here in about 2 minutes. Oh, she is going to be so happy!” Susan exclaimed, interrupting Josh’s thoughts.

She was going to be there in just 2 minutes. He was excited, anxious, nervous, and almost every other similar emotion. It was going to take a lot of self-control not to practically attack her.

****

**_Chapter 9_ **

            Pulling into her mother’s driveway, Anna had a strange feeling. Her mother never called and asked when she was going to be home. She wondered if something was wrong. She got out of the car and went to get the groceries and her mother’s book from the backseat. When she opened the door to the house, her mother was there to greet her, all smiles.

            “Annie, I’m so glad you’re home! You have a visitor,” Susan expressed excitedly.

            “A visitor? Who—“ Anna couldn’t even finish the sentence. She dropped the groceries with a smack on the hardwood floor when she saw him. At first, she was dumbfounded. Then she felt the familiar beaming smile slowly make its way to her face. It was him. It was her best friend. Standing right there in front of her. She couldn’t believe it. She had goosebumps.

“J-Joshua? What? Why? How? Oh my God. Oh my GOD!!”

She burst into a full-blown sprint, and practically knocked him over with the biggest, longest, most constricting hug she’d ever given anybody. He smelled so wonderful, and his strong arms felt heavenly wrapped around her in that gentle yet firm way. Oh, she’d missed him so much. She prayed this wasn’t a dream.

“Joshua, what are you doing here? Oh my God! I can’t believe you’re actually here!”

She felt tears of joy welling up, and didn’t even care when they started falling down her face. She buried her face in his shirt as he lifted her off of the ground. Elated couldn’t even begin to describe the way she was feeling at the moment. She never wanted him to let go of her.

****

**_Chapter 10_ **

Josh was right—the look on Anna’s face when she saw him was a moment to remember. Oh man, he had missed that exquisite smile. But when she ran into his arms and enveloped him in a long, fierce hug, he instantly knew he’d made the right choice by coming here. He had to be careful not to hug her too tightly so he wouldn’t hurt her, but that was a challenge considering how much he’d missed her. She kept babbling random words and phrases, but he couldn’t focus on what she was saying. The only thing on his mind right now was the fact that she was finally in his arms. Her all encompassing smell filled his nose and enchanted him with the most wonderful, deepest feelings he’d ever had for another person. It was simply impossible to think about or see anything else but her. He didn’t want to ever let go of her.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 11_ **

            In that moment, Anna and Josh were the only two people in the world. Neither had known how much they’d missed the other person until they were in each other’s arms. When they broke their gratifying embrace, they stood staring at each other with the biggest, cheesiest smiles on their faces. Josh reached up and softly wiped the tears from Anna’s cheeks tenderly.

            “Joshua, what on Earth are you doing here?” Anna beamed, grabbing his face with both hands to make sure he was real.

I came to finally tell you how deeply in love with you I am, he wanted to say. But now wasn’t the time or place. He wanted it to be perfect.

“I came to see my long lost best friend, of course,” Josh answered.

“Still as charming as I remember,” Anna smiled affectionately. “Did you come here just for me?” Anna said, jokingly.

Please say yes, she thought.

“You bet I did, Anna Bean. I sure as hell didn’t come here to get kicked by a kangaroo or eaten by a huge, rabid snake.”

Anna couldn’t help but laugh; she had missed his silly remarks that always made her mood improve. She had also missed the many nicknames he’d given her. Though some of them, such as “Anner” and “Torch,” were given to make fun of her being an Australian, she knew it was out of pure affection. Besides, two could play at that game. Sometimes she’d call him “Pacey” or “Charlie.” Teasing each other was one of their favorite activities. However, she usually called him “Joshua.” It wasn’t really a nickname, but everyone else she knew called him “Josh.” She liked calling him by his full name; it just sounded right coming out of her mouth. Anna knew he liked it, too, because he would only let her and his mother call him that.

            “How long are you here, and where are you staying?”

            “Well, I’m actually not sure how long I’m staying; I bought a one-way ticket. But I got a room at the Hilton a few miles away from here.”

Anna liked the idea of him buying a one-way ticket. But there was no need for a hotel room when her mother had a guest bedroom in her house. Susan loved having guests, and Anna didn’t want Josh to have to spend money on a room when he could stay here for free; At least that’s what she told herself. To be perfectly honest, she really just didn’t want him to leave. Ever.

            “Joshua, you don’t need a hotel room. There’s a guest bedroom here you can use. Right, mum?

Susan had been standing by the front door the entire time with a goofy grin on her face. She hadn’t seen her daughter this happy in the longest time. She wasn’t about to let Josh leave.

            “Of course you can stay here, Josh. I insist on it. We would be delighted to have you!” Susan claimed.

Josh normally would decline such an offer, but he felt assuredly comfortable in this house. He also enjoyed the idea of being under the same roof as Anna 24/7.

            “Are you sure? That’s very kind of you to offer,” Josh stated.

Might as well be polite instead of yelling, “YES” at the top of his lungs.

            “Oh of course, honey. Why don’t you go get your stuff right now and I’ll get the room set up,” Susan advised, excitedly hurrying up the stairs.

When Susan was all the way up the stairs, Josh pulled Anna into another embrace.

            “I missed you so much, Anna. I know this is unexpected, but I just couldn’t go another day without seeing you,” Josh murmured into her hair.

Anna’s heart did a flip-flop, and she smiled against his shirt.

            “Joshua, I always expect the unexpected with you. Having you here is a dream come true,” Anna said. “I have really needed my best friend lately.”

She said the last part a little quieter and weaker than her previous words. Josh could sense something was wrong, so he pulled away to look into her mesmerizing green eyes. Something wasn’t right—they didn’t hold that glimmering twinkle that he had grown so fond of over the years. Now that he was taking a good look at her, he also noticed how skinny she had gotten. How had he not noticed this before? Maybe he was just so excited to see her that he hadn’t observed these changes. That’s what he hoped was why, anyway.

            “Anna, what’s going on?” Josh questioned apprehensively, “And don’t say you’re alright, because I know you’re not. I can see it in your eyes.”

Anna was foolish to think he wouldn’t eventually notice that she’d been having a rough time. He knew her better than anyone. Just as she was about to vent it all out on him, Susan came sashaying down the stairs. She stopped in her tracks when she saw them, looking surprised.

            “Oh, I thought you would’ve left by now to go and get your things,” Susan indicated.

            “I was just leaving, actually. Care to give me a lift, Anaconda?” Joshua asked.

He needed some alone time with her so she would tell him what was going on. He was getting a little anxious with worry.

            “Yes, certainly,” Anna replied.

There wasn’t an inkling of a chance she was letting him out of her sight just yet. And besides, she needed to vent. She felt like a bottle of soda that had been shaken up, on the verge of exploding.

            “Great, let’s hit the road.”

**_Chapter 12_ **

Josh felt much more comfortable driving with Anna in Australia. She always scared the hell out of him driving in Vancouver or the States. Sometimes she would look over the wrong shoulder while backing up, or even make a turn onto the left side of the road. As much as it daunted him, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

            “What’s so funny?” Anna inquired.

He had that mischievous spark in his eye that he only got when he was plotting a prank or getting ready to tease Anna. So, the spark was basically always there.

            “Just thinking about how I don’t feel like I have to pray for my life while you’re driving here,” Josh laughed. “Remember that time when we were heading down to Seattle and you insisted on driving? I don’t know how we survived that trip!”

            “Hey, I wasn’t that bad! At least I didn’t get pulled over twice for speeding,” Anna jokingly accused.

            “I wasn’t speeding. I was just going with the flow of traffic. It would’ve been unsafe for me to go the speed limit.”

            “We were the only car on the road!” Anna giggled.

            Josh smiled at her. “That was a great trip, though, besides our driving skills.”

Three years ago, hm and Anna had decided to take a trip to Seattle, Washington to go see the Space Needle. Anna had always wanted to go there ever since she saw it on TV. Josh would never forget how excited she was when they got to the top and looked out at the gleaming lights of the city. The sight mesmerized her, but a whole different sight mesmerized Josh. She had her arms wrapped around him, her head resting on his shoulder. She smelled like warm vanilla. But most importantly, he would never forget that night because that was the night he knew he was in love with his best friend.

            “You’re right, that was a great trip,” Anna smiled, reminiscing.

She missed doing things like that with him. Anna had never been the spontaneous type, but being with Josh made her realize how fun and rewarding it could be. He had taken her on so many adventures; those were the best years of her life. Oh, how she wished she could just go back to being as happy as she was then.

            Josh noticed she was biting her lip, which she only did when something was bothering her.

            “Hey,” Josh spoke softly. “Tell me what’s going on, A. You’re worrying me.”

Anna looked at him for a second, but the pure concern for her in his eyes almost made her tear up. She had to look away; she couldn’t have a cry-fest while driving.

            “I honestly don’t know, Joshua. I’ve been in a bit of a conundrum lately. I haven’t been sleeping very well, and I’ve lost my appetite altogether. I have been having these dreams, too. I know they are important in helping me figure out what’s wrong, but I can never remember them when I wake up.” Anna murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She was deep in thought. “It’s just so damn frustrating because it seems like I am always a fraction of an inch away from remembering, but I just can’t seem to get closer than that. I don’t know what to do. I feel like I am missing a part of myself, and I can’t figure out what part or why.”

Admitting all of this to Josh felt like a huge weight was being lifted off of her shoulders. She loved how even though they hadn’t seen each other in months, it was like they could just pick up where they left off, like no time had ever come between them. He was the only person she would ever feel comfortable sharing her entire personal life with.

Josh loved that Anna was sharing all of this with him so straightforwardly, but he couldn’t help but be even more worried than before. Anna was the most confident, self-assured person he’d ever met. She always knew what she wanted, which he thought was a breath of fresh air. He’d always wished he could be more like her. He had no idea what to say. He could feel her starting at him, awaiting a response.

“How long has this been going on?” Josh asked. He decided it might be best to start with some basic questions before attempting to turn on his full-blown shrink mode.

            “For about 2 ½ months. It started a couple weeks after I left Vancouver. It’s only gotten worse since then,” she said.

She knew she sounded a little pathetic, but she was so desperate for answers. She just wanted to be herself again, and there was no better person to help her do that than Josh. He always seemed to have the answers, or at least helped her figure them out on her own. He was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. She felt so lucky to have him in her life, to have him with her in this moment.

Strange, Josh thought. That’s about the same time I started losing my appetite and having a rough time sleeping. Not to mention those heart-wrenching dreams about Anna. Thinking about his dreams sparked a new question.

“I know this may be a strange question, but how do you feel when you wake up from your dreams, A?

“It’s hard to explain. It’s like I was dreaming about something satisfying, but I feel melancholy when I wake up. I know this sounds crazy.”

“No, Anna. It doesn’t. Not in the way you think.”

Actually, it only sounded crazy because he was experiencing the exact same thing. He knew he was going out on quite a limb here, but could it be possible that she was dreaming about him, just like he was dreaming about her? The thought made him do elated cartwheels in his mind. He had always known Anna had feelings for him, but never imagined they could possibly be as strong as his were for her. He decided to steal a quick look at her, and what he saw made his heart ache. She looked so tired and frail. As much as he wanted her to return his feelings, he didn’t want to be the source of her pain. The only thing he’d ever wanted was for Anna to be happy every single second of every day for the rest of her life. She deserved that, and much more. Feeling the need to comfort her in a way words never could, he took one of her hands in his. He ran his fingers over her soft skin, committing every detail of it to memory.

Anna reveled in the wonderful sensation of Josh holding her hand. It astonished her that such a simple action could bring so much comfort. He never failed to know exactly what she needed and when she needed it. For the first time in a while, Anna felt like everything was going to be okay. She hoped Josh would decide to stay for a while.

They continued holding hands until they got to the Hilton. Anna parked the car, and they headed inside. When they got to Josh’s room, he swiped the key into the door, and turned the handle when the light turned green. His bags were still packed and sitting by the bed. They stood in the doorway, and Anna looked up at him.

“Joshua, you didn’t even unpack your bags. Did you somehow already know that I would invite you to stay with me?” Anna teased.

“Yep. I knew I would charm you into letting me room with you for free. Works every time.” Josh said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Hmm. Maybe I will take back that offer then,” Anna added, backing up as if she was going to leave. “I’m sure you could find another girl to charm into giving you a free room.”

Before she could back up any further, Josh picked her up, ignoring her shriek of alarm, and lay her down on the bed. He kicked the door shut with his foot. He was poised above her, one arm on each of hers, pinning her down.

“Joshua Carter Jackson, let me go!” Anna giggled. She pretended to be annoyed, but he knew she was enjoying herself. Her eyes always gave her away; they were like an open book to her soul that only Josh could read.

“No way. Not without an apology,” Josh insisted. Anna Torv, the most stubborn woman he knew, apologizing to him? Oh, this would be good.

“You know very well that I’m not apologizing to you, Mr. Jackson. There is no way those words are leaving my mouth.”

“I guess I will just have make you beg for mercy, then.”

            Before Anna could ask what he meant, he began to tickle her in her most ticklish spots. Damn, sometimes it sucked having someone that knew everything about you. After several long seconds of tortured laughter and a fit of kicks, Anna surrendered.

            “I give up, Joshua!” Anna blurted through spurts of laughter. “I give up! I’m sorry! I want you to stay with me!”

            Josh stopped his harassing tickling attack, and looked down at her with a face full of prideful, mischievous accomplishment. She looked so damn beautiful with her face flushed and her hair all messed up. He just couldn’t help but to say what was on his mind.

            “Oh good, because there is nowhere else on this Earth I would rather be than with you,” Josh admitted valiantly.

He knew he couldn’t simply be just friends with her anymore. Being away from her for so long and finally reuniting had sparked something in him, making him realize that he couldn’t live without her. He was going to tell her how he felt about her one step at a time, saving those three precious words for the absolute perfect moment. He didn’t want to rush anything; this was the most important relationship in his life. He couldn’t afford to screw this up. Josh continued to look down at Anna, praying to God for a positive reaction.

Anna’s heart leaped as she replayed Josh’s words in her head: “There is nowhere else on this Earth I would rather be than with you.” She felt a smile begin to form on her face. She could tell by his voice and those clear, ocean blue eyes that he sincerely meant every single word. Anna felt her heart beating faster as heavenly warmth spread throughout her body. All of her nerve endings reacted, making her sensitive to even the tiniest movements and sensations. She’d never felt like this before; it was incredible, to say the least. Josh’s face was inches away from hers, and she could feel his warm, jagged breath dance across her face. It smelled like coffee, and she wanted to taste him so badly. She wished Josh would just kiss her already. She’d wanted him to kiss her for years—really kiss her. Not a kiss that had been typed up in a script. As if he could read her thoughts, which she many times believed he could, he slowly brought his face closer to hers until their lips touched lightly. Her lips were so soft and tasted like strawberries; it was a million times better than any of the kisses they’d shared on “Fringe.” This kiss was real, and it felt so right.

 Josh was still poised over top of her, putting his weight on his elbows so he wouldn’t crush her. His large, muscular hands lay delicately on each side of her beautiful face as his thumbs brushed over her cheeks. When Anna finally opened her eyes, Josh was looking at her affectionately, waiting for indignation to stop or continue. Oh, he was so sweet. That one, soft kiss was all it took to make the years of suppressed feelings come bubbling to the surface. God, she had missed him. She took his face into her hands, and brought their lips together again. Only this time, the kiss wasn’t light. They kissed each other passionately, parting their lips to grant the other a wider range of access. Anna weaved her hands into his thick, dark hair and pulled him in closer for a deeper kiss, her tongue teasing his. They continued to explore the recesses of each other’s mouths for what seemed like hours. When they broke off their kiss to breathe, Josh only took about a half a second break before he began to kiss her again. He lightly kissed each corner of her mouth before he went to her cheeks, her nose, her chin, and then to her neck. Anna let out a breathy sigh of satisfaction as she smoothed her hands over his solid back.

Right in the middle of the most incredible encounter she’d ever endured, Anna’s cell started to ring. She’d never wanted to throw the stupid thing so badly in her life. Josh stopped his amorous grazes on her neck and moved off of her, much to her dissatisfaction, to see who was on the caller ID.

“It’s your mom,” Josh grinned and handed her the phone.

As much as she hated to cease their intimate encounter, Anna knew her mother rarely called unless it was something important.

            “Hey, mum. Is everything alright?” Anna asked, a little concerned. She sat up and brushed her hair out of her face. She hoped she didn’t sound too breathless.

            “Oh yes darling, everything is okay, “ Susan assured. “I was just hoping that you and Josh would be able to stop by the market and pick up a gallon of milk before you get back? I really need it for breakfast in the morning.”

            Anna felt relieved. “Of course. We will be there soon. Love you.”

            “Thank you sweetheart. I love you, too.”

Anna hung up the phone and looked at Josh, who was staring at her admiringly. She thought she might feel embarrassed after she had time to compose herself; however, she felt anything but. She actually had to use all of her self-will not to pounce on him.

“Is everything alright with your mom?” Josh asked.

“Yes. She just wants us to pick up some milk from the market before we head back.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“Why ‘thank goodness’”

“For a second I thought she’d developed some supernatural mommy sense and figured out what we were doing.”

Anna laughed. “I think you need to stay away from sci-fi for a while.” She cocked her head to the side and gave him a crooked smile. “So… what exactly were we doing that you’re so worried about my mother finding out?”

Josh took that as an invitation. He scooted closer to her on the bed and took her chin between his thumb and index finger to tip her head up.

“This,” he whispered against her lips before he gave her a long, passionate kiss.

Anna swore she felt her heart stop. They had only been intimate with each other for 30 minutes, without going farther than kissing, and she already felt like they had been together for years. Had they been missing out on this all along by holding their feelings back? Too soon for her liking, Josh broke off the kiss and looked at her with concern. Before he went any farther, he needed to make sure she was comfortable taking their relationship to a whole new level. There was still time to back out without ruining anything between them, but he hoped that wouldn’t be the case. She seemed to be enjoying this as much as he was.

“Anna, before this goes any further, I need to make sure you’re okay with risking our friendship for the possibility of something more. If not, we can pretend this never happened,” Josh stated.

Anna didn’t want to pretend this never happened. What she did want was for him to kiss her again. She’d wanted that kiss for years. Yet, Anna knew that he was asking her this because he cared deeply about their friendship, which warmed her heart.

“Joshua, I am done pretending I don’t have feelings for you. I am done playing on the safe side. I want to be fearless for once in my life. Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a little bit nervous to jump, but I’m going to jump anyway,” Anna replied. With that being said, she pulled his lips back to hers and kissed him hard.

When they ended the kiss, they kept their eyes closed; their foreheads meeting gently as they listened to their erratic breathing. Josh had never expected this to happen so soon, but he couldn’t be happier. The best part was that this didn’t feel rushed at all. He had wanted to kiss Anna like that for years—and he wanted to continue kissing her like that for the rest of his life.

Anna was the first to break the silence. She looked at him with disappointment in her eyes.

“Unfortunately, we should probably get going. Wouldn’t want my mother figuring out anything, now would we?” Anna joked.

“Oh no, we wouldn’t want that. I think I’d rather be on your mother’s good side,” Josh noted.

“No need to worry about that. You’re already on her good side.”

Josh smiled. Susan had told him that Anna had talked about him quite a bit. He decided to mess with her.

“I am? And how do you know this?”

“I might’ve mentioned you once or twice,” she lied.

            In reality, she had talked her mother’s ear off about Josh for years. She had hoped that he wouldn’t find out how much she had spoken about him, but the playful grin on his face confirmed her fears.

            “Oh hell, what did my mum tell you?” Anna inquired, embarrassed.

            “She might or might not have told me how much you talked about me,” He suggested amusingly.

            Anna was mortified. She buried her face in her hands. Josh felt bad for embarrassing her, but she really had no need to feel this way. When he found out how much she had talked about him he’d been ecstatic. Josh gently pulled her hands from her face and replaced them with his. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, and looked into her eyes.

            “You never have to be embarrassed or ashamed about anything around me, Anna. Ever. There is not one thing in this world you could do that would change the way I feel about you.” Josh kissed her lips, and gathered her into a tight embrace. He rubbed his cheek against hers and whispered in her ear, “There are no words to describe how happy I am to be here with you. I have wanted this for so long. Just simply kissing you made me happier than I have ever been in my entire life. We are worth the risk, Anna.”

            Anna couldn’t help it—tears started falling down her cheeks. She nestled her face into his shoulder and tightened her arms around him, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt in the back.

“I feel the same way, Joshua. I feel the same way,” She softly spoke against his shirt.

She wished they hadn’t held their feelings back all of these years; they’d probably be married with a family by now. But she had lived long enough to know that the past was the past, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. All that mattered right now was that he was here, with her, right now. She wasn’t letting him get away this time.

 

****

**_Chapter 13_ **

After stopping at the market to get milk, Anna and Josh headed back to the house. Josh hadn’t let go of Anna’s hand since they left the hotel, but she had absolutely no problem with that. She felt like a teenage girl all giddy about her first boyfriend. Wait; was Josh her boyfriend now? In their 5 years together, they had done more together than many married couples. They knew each other better than anyone, and what they had just shared in that hotel was magical. But did all of this really make him her ‘boyfriend?’

            ‘What are you thinking about, A?” Josh asked, interrupting her thoughts.

            She didn’t want to lie to him. Anna never wanted there to be any secrets between them. She just didn’t know exactly how to tell him what she was thinking about.

            “Are you... are we…are—“ she stammered, before Josh cut in.

            He knew what she was trying to say. “Do you want to be?”

Please say yes; oh God, please let her say yes, he prayed in his head. This day had already been too good to be true; Anna wanting them to be an official couple would just be the cherry on top. He just hoped this wasn’t moving too quickly for her.

            “I—I don’t know. Would we be going to fast?” She said. Anna was ready to take the risk and be more than friends with Josh, but she didn’t know if she was quite ready to make it official. She didn’t want to rush this. She’d done that with Mark, and look where that gotten her. There was no way she would be able to handle not having Josh in her life; he meant 100 times more to her than Mark ever had.

            “I’m not sure. This just feels so…right to me. But I really don’t want to rush anything and ruin any chance we have at something I know could be so beautiful,” Josh squeezed her hand and looked at her solemnly. “I wouldn’t be able to handle losing you, Anna. Just the thought of it makes me feel sick to my stomach. You are absolutely everything to me.”

            Just as he spoke those words, Anna pulled up her mother’s driveway. How did he always speak the thoughts right out of her mind? It was insane. She parked the car, turned the ignition off, and turned to look at him with her own look of solemnity. Looking into his eyes, she instantly knew exactly what she wanted. She’d wanted it for a very long time.

            “You never have to worry about losing me, Joshua. I’m not going anywhere. I can’t bear the thought of not having you in my life either,” she insisted,” And to answer your question—yes, I want to be.”

            Josh looked around to see if they could be seen, and spotted a large tree blocking the window where he suspected Susan would be. Thank goodness. He leaned across the seat, took her face in his hands, and kissed her sweetly. He looked up into her breathtakingly beautiful eyes.

“So do I,” he vowed. “More than anything.”

Anna wondered if this was really happening. In a few hours, they had gone from separated best friends to an official couple. But as crazy as it sounded, it felt like lost pieces of a puzzle finally being put together. She had only known Mark a few short months before they had gotten married. She had known Josh for five years, and they were just now starting to be a couple. On Anna’s terms, this was definitely not rushing things. As Josh was counting the colors in her eyes, he began to wonder something.

            “So, what are we going to say to your mom?” Josh questioned. “I know you say I’m on her good side, but I really don’t want her to get the wrong impression of me.”

            Anna smiled. Ever since Mark, her mother had been wary whenever Anna rushed into relationships. But it was different with Josh. This didn’t feel rushed in the slightest; it felt more like coming up for a breath after being under water too long. She wasn’t scared that he’d hurt her like she was with other men, because it just wasn’t possible. He had always been the one to show her the good in herself; he showed her what she couldn’t see. He was her very best friend in the world, and her mother clearly knew how she felt about him. Looking into Josh’s eyes, she had never felt safer and more confident. Captivated by him, she put her hands on the nape of his neck and pulled him in.

            “The truth,” she whispered against his lips.

Josh couldn’t resist her. He had been resisting her for 5 agonizing years. They kissed once, then twice, and then three times before he made himself pull away, much to his aversion.

            “Anna, sweetheart,” he said, softly. “I hate to do this, but I have to. It’s extremely important to me to continue making a good impression on your mom. I think we should try to keep this on the down low for a little while, at least in the company of her. It’s not going to be easy, at least it isn’t for me, but I know she’s still wary of men around you. I want her to see for herself how much I care about you before we tell her anything.”

            She detested admitting it, but he was right. Only a truly wonderful man would do this in concern for her mother. She wondered for the 100th time today how she got so lucky.

            “You’re right,” she sighed, disappointedly. “It’s not going to be easy, but it’s the best thing to do right now. Besides, we’ve held our feelings back for this long; what’s another week or so?”

            “Yeah, what’s another week or so?” He smiled and kissed her forehead one more time before they headed inside.

 

**_Chapter 14_ **

Susan heard the door open from where she was in the kitchen and smiled. She walked to the front door to greet them, and help with Josh’s things.

            “Oh good, you’re back! Here, let me help you with those,” Susan insisted. She reached down to grab a bag, but Josh stopped her.

            “I appreciate your kindness, ma’am, but you’ve already done enough for me. Please, let me carry my own bags.”

            “Alright. Josh, I have told you before to call me Susan. No need to use formalities in this house. You’re my daughter’s closest friend; you’re part of the family. Anna, dear, would you show Josh to his room? I’ll have dinner ready in ten minutes.”

            “Of course, mum,” Anna replied.

            “Thanks again, Susan. I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me,” Josh stated genuinely.

            “Don’t mention it, honey. I’m delighted to have you,” Susan commented. With that, she turned to the kitchen.

             When Susan was gone, Anna excitedly grabbed one of his bags and walked towards the stairs. He followed. When they reached the top, they walked down a long hallway and turned into the last room on the left. It was a decent sized room with beautiful sage green walls that reminded him of Anna’s eyes. The room was also equipped with a queen bed, full sized dresser, walk-in closet, and bathroom. Way better than the hotel, he thought. As he was taking in the room, Anna put his suitcases down on the dresser, and walked over to him. She put her arms around his neck and looked up at him. He rested his hands on her hips. Her face glowed with pure bliss.

            “My mom is letting you call her Susan the first day she met you,” Anna observed happily.

            “Does that make me special?” Josh responded.

            “Yes, very,” Anna giggled. “It took her a whole year before she would let my 2 childhood best friends call her Susan.” Anna paused and looked down at her feet. “She never let Mark call her that.”

            Susan had never been fond of Mark, even when he and Anna had first started dating. She was always very kind to him, but Anna could tell it was a façade. Even though she could tell her mom didn’t like him, Susan never once said anything to Anna. She had always been a strong advocate of people making their own decisions in life. When she finally asked Susan why she didn’t like him, Susan said it was the way he looked at Anna. She said the unconditional love that is supposed to be shared between couples just wasn’t there. At first Anna was a little angry, but then she started to notice it, too. Mark began treating her like she was a burden rather than the love of his life. It finally got to the point where Anna felt so negatively about herself that she knew she couldn’t be with him anymore. The thing that hurt Anna the most was the nonchalant way he signed the divorce papers. It was like their year of marriage had meant nothing. If Anna wouldn’t have had Josh to lean on, she might have slipped into a clinical depression.

            Josh pulled her into an embrace, bringing her back to the present. “Well, maybe that means we won’t have to keep our relationship on the back burner for as long as we thought.”

            “Oh I hope so. I’ve never been good at keeping secrets from my mum. Or you.”

            Josh smiled and kissed her nose, “I know.” Then, his eyes suddenly flourished with a twinkle. “Hey, I want to see your room.”

            “Okay. It’s right across from yours.”

She took his hand and led him into the room she’d had since birth. The walls were still the light yellow her mother had painted right before she was born. The 2 windows framed by pink curtains were slightly ajar, letting in the light, Australian breeze. Pictures lined her white dressers and walls. There were even some stuck into her vanity mirror. Josh felt like he was exploring a rare side of Anna that not many people knew; it gave him a thrill of excitement. He ran his fingers over the lacey yellow comforter on her queen bed; it matched the walls perfectly. Anna leaned against the doorway and watched him explore the place she had spent more time than anywhere else on Earth. Not many people had ever been in her room, aside from a couple friends, her mother, and her brother—it was her safe haven. She wanted Josh to see it though; it made her feel even closer to him knowing that he had witnessed this special place. He slowly made his way around the room, stopping to look at each and every detail. He picked up every single picture and knickknack she owned. He had always tried to imagine what Anna was like as a child and teen, and this helped him visualize it. This room made him feel like he’d known her his entire life. When he reached the vanity mirror, he noticed that the pictures were more recent than the rest. It was then he noticed all the pictures of them together. There were so many; some that he hadn’t even known were ever taken. Josh thought that he had a lot of pictures of them, but she had even more. What touched him the most was that she had more pictures of them together than pictures of her family.

Before today, Anna probably would have been a little embarrassed to have Josh see all the pictures she had of them hanging in her room. But today had changed everything. Just one kiss had made it feel like they’d been together their entire lives instead of several hours (well, officially anyway).

“Anna,” was all Josh could muster as he ran his fingers over the precious memories. He turned his head and looked at her in a way he never had before. Anna wanted to know what he was feeling and thinking at that very moment, but she couldn’t make herself speak. There was something enchanting and electric in the air between them at that moment words just couldn’t describe. Neither of them knew how it happened, but before they knew it, Josh had Anna pushed up against the wall. They started kissing fervently, hands tangled in each other’s hair. Josh tilted her head to the side so he could kiss his way down her neck. His hand slid up her shirt and rested on her flat stomach. Anna let out a small whimper of satisfaction.

            “Annie, Josh, did you hear me? I said dinner is ready!” Susan yelled.

Moments later, Anna and Josh heard the footprints coming up the stairs. Josh backed off of Anna like a wasp had just stung him. He smoothed her soft hair and her clothes the best he could. Anna was trying to stifle her giggles, and was failing miserably. Her laugh was undoubtedly the best sound he’d ever heard; it took all of his strength not to kiss her again. Josh needed to put space between them, so he hurriedly walked over to the pictures of her family. Anna was still a little out of breath, and she was sure her lips were swollen with all of the kissing they had been doing. She hoped she didn’t look too guilty. Even more, she hoped her mother wouldn’t detect her guiltiness—mothers had a way of doing that.

            “There you are. Dinner is ready,” Susan announced. Susan couldn’t help but feel like she was interrupting something. They were both staring at her a little awkwardly. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you two want some time alone?”

            “No, no. We were just… talking about…Dylan,” Spurted Anna. She walked over to where Josh was standing and picked up a picture of her little brother. “I was just telling Josh about how I used to make him be my acting partner when we were little.”

            Susan smiled nostalgically. “You two were so sweet when you were little. How I miss those days—I better be getting some grandchildren soon.” Susan eyed Anna jokingly, although Anna knew she meant what she said. Anna laughed nervously.

“Well, let’s get downstairs before the food gets cold!” Anna blurted. Susan nodded and turned to walk out of the room.

When Susan left, Josh walked over to Anna and stuck out his arm like a gentleman. She laughed and looped her arm through his.

“Well, my dear, staying away from you is going to be much harder than I thought,” Josh said.

“Likewise, my dear,” Anna agreed as they headed down to dinner, arm in arm.

 

**_Chapter 15_ **

“This is incredible, Susan. You didn’t have to go through all of this trouble. Thank you so much,” Josh complimented between bites. Susan had made lemon-garlic chicken, Parmesan green beans, French bread with basil oil, a fresh fruit salad, and carrot cake.

“You’re welcome honey. It’s not often I get to cook this much, it’s my pleasure. Now, eat up,” Ordered Susan.

The three of them ate and talked and laughed; Josh could get used to this. He already felt like part of the family, and he’d only been here a day. Coming to Australia was turning out to be the best decision he’d ever made.

For the first time in months, Anna was actually hungry. She ate a full plate of food and 2 pieces of cake—and she was still hungry. She hadn’t felt this happy and normal for months.

Susan couldn’t stop smiling; this was the first time in so long she’d seen Anna eat this much and look this happy. She finally had that beautiful twinkle in her green eyes back. Did Anna realize how much of an impact Josh was having on her? Susan truly didn’t understand why they weren’t together already. She could see the deep feelings they had for each other when they looked into each other’s eyes. Mark never looked at Anna the way Josh did. In the entire 5 years Anna had known Josh, Susan had only heard wonderful things. The last 3 months they were apart, they’d talked on the phone everyday—sometimes more than once. Not to mention all of the pictures Anna had of them in her room. Susan knew they were best friends, but she also sensed they were more than that, even if they didn’t. Best friends just didn’t look at each other the way they did; didn’t talk to each other the way they did. Susan was going to do everything she could to make sure Anna and Josh came to this realization.

“So, have you got any plans for tomorrow?” Susan asked.

“I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve,” Anna replied. She turned and smiled playfully at Josh. “Better get a good night sleep, Jackson.”

Josh didn’t know if he should be frightened or ecstatic. “Bring it on, Torv. I can handle whatever crazy Australian feat you throw at me,” Josh claimed.

“We’ll see about that,” Anna replied.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter 16_ **

            By the time they were done with dinner and had cleaned up, it was pretty late. For Anna and Josh, it had been the longest, most spectacular day of their lives. They were both exhausted.

Anna was in her room pacing, waiting for her mother to go to bed. She had already put on her pajamas and washed up, but she wanted to say goodnight to Josh before she went to bed—in a way she didn’t want her mother to see. On cue, Susan strolled into Anna’s room.

            “Hi, sweetie. I just wanted to come say goodnight. It’s so nice seeing you happy. I love you so very much.” Susan kissed Anna’s cheek.

            “Thank you, mum. I love you, too. Goodnight.”

With that, Susan walked out of Anna’s room. Anna watched as she poked her head in to say goodnight to Josh and headed down to her room at the opposite end of the hallway. The instant Anna heard the door shut, she went into Josh’s room.

Josh had been unpacking his suitcases, hoping Anna would come in once Susan went to bed. He was elated when she finally walked into his room, wearing an old, grey NIDA T-shirt and black short shorts. Her long, blonde hair was pulled into a bun, and she had her red reading glasses on. God, she looked adorable. He opened his arms in welcome, and she gladly walked straight into his embrace.

“Hi,” she whispered softly against his shirt.

“Hi,” he said back, his lips resting against the top of her head.

“I just wanted to come say goodnight. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I also wanted to tell you that today was the best day of my life. Thank you so much for coming, Joshua. You’ve made me the happiest woman in the world.”

Anna’s sweet words touched Josh’s heart. He kissed the top of her head affectionately. He wanted so badly to tell her how much he loved her, but now wasn’t the time. 

“Today was the best day of my life too, sweetheart. Well, the best day so far, that is. I promise you that we will have many more days like this. Coming here was the best decision I have ever made, Anna. Not only did I get to see my beautiful best friend after the longest three months in the world, that best friend became my beautiful girlfriend. I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” Josh took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

“Oh, Joshua,” was all Anna could muster. With her face still in his hands, Josh leaned in and kissed her goodnight. Josh wished more than anything he could hold her in his arms all night, but that just wasn’t an option right now. Anna wanted to be in his arms all night too, but she knew they couldn’t. They held each other in silence for a few more minutes until Anna pulled away.

“I guess I should get to bed,” she insisted disappointedly. “But I will see you first thing in the morning, mister. We’ve got a long, fun-filled, adventurous day ahead of us.”

“Can’t wait to spend it with you.”

            They kissed once more, and Anna reluctantly headed to her room. She couldn’t stop smiling as she got into bed and pulled the comforter to her chin. She touched her lips where Josh had kissed them only a minute ago. She felt like she was flying. Anna closed her eyes and imagined Josh’s arms around her, his beautiful blue eyes, his dazzling smile, the mesmerizing way he kissed her… and drifted to sleep happier than she’d ever been.

            Josh lay in bed awake for quite a while, playing back this incredible day in his mind. Things were working out so unbelievably perfect—he had never in a million year expected Anna to become his girlfriend in a matter of hours. I guess when they say that “distance makes the heart grow fonder” they aren’t kidding. The only problem was that right now, all he wanted was to hold her. He honestly didn’t know how he’d gone so long without her, considering it had only been a couple hours since they had gone to bed and he already missed her. If respecting Susan didn’t mean so much to him, Josh would be out of his bed and in Anna’s in a heartbeat. But for now, being on Susan’s good side was more important. If things went as perfectly as he hoped, Susan would be his mother-in-law sooner than later. Thinking of Anna’s angelic face, enchanting voice, and captivating eyes, Josh drifted to sleep dreaming about her, like he always did. Only this time, he knew when he awoke, he would be anything but melancholy.

 

**_Chapter 17_ **

            Anna woke up to the smell of bacon drifting up the stairs. She prepared to force herself out of bed like always, but found herself feeling refreshed and energized. She looked at the clock; 9:03 AM. Anna was shocked. She hadn’t slept this late in forever. She didn’t think she had even woken up at all during the night— she hadn’t felt this good in months. And the best part was she didn’t have that usual feeling of deep sadness she had every morning when she woke up. Anna knew she’d had the dream, even though she still couldn’t remember what it was about. Yet somehow, she sensed that everything was going to be okay. Anna wondered if Josh was awake. Josh. Her best friend. Her boyfriend. The thought made her giddy. He was here, just across the hall. All she could think about were his blue eyes and smile that took her to another planet. She thought about that moment when she first saw him standing in her doorway, and how looking in his eyes made her feel like she was finally coming home. All she knew was that starting yesterday, everything in her life had changed. She felt the beautiful kind of butterflies in her stomach. She couldn’t wait to make up for all of the lost time.

Anna needed to see him, needed to feel his arms around her. She got out of bed and headed towards her room, but stopped before she reached the door. She turned and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth—she didn’t want him to taste her morning breath if they kissed. After she finished, she headed out her bedroom door. She took a quick peek down the stairs, and saw her mother cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Perfect. Anna turned and walked briskly towards Josh’s room—but was surprised when she didn’t see him. For a second, her heart dropped. She didn’t imagine him being here, did she? She didn’t imagine all that had happened yesterday, right? If that was the case, Anna knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it. As tears started to involuntarily well up in her eyes, a hand clasped her shoulder. Startled, she turned around and saw him. He was there. She didn’t make him up. He was looking at her with such a sweet fondness that she couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. She was overwhelmed with relief and joy.

            “Joshua!” Anna cried, wrapping her arms around his neck.

            Josh hugged her back, then pulled her away and took her face in his hands, concerned.

            “Anna, what is it? What’s wrong?” Josh exclaimed anxiously, running his hands over her body as if to check for wounds.

            Anna threw her arms around his neck again, snuggled her face into him, and inhaled deeply. Joshua. Her Joshua.

            “I came in here to see you, but you were gone. For a second I thought I’d imagined you coming here—that yesterday really was too good to be true. I know it’s silly.”

            Josh kissed the top of her head. He held her against his body tightly, never wanting to let her go.

            “I wasn’t gone, honey. In fact, I was in your room looking for you. We must’ve missed each other somehow,” Josh soothed. He pulled away slightly to look her in the eyes and softly wipe away her tears. “Yesterday did happen, A. It was just as phenomenal as you remember it. We are going to have another fantastic day today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and all the days after that.”

            Anna smiled that wonderful, full-toothed beam that Josh absolutely adored, and kissed him tenderly. After a few seconds, Josh broke the kiss. He needed to tell her something important. He took both of her hands in his.

            “Anna, I need you to know something. I need you to know that the only way I would ever even fathom leaving you would be if you asked me to, and I pray to God that never happens. I’m gong to tell you again that there is nothing you could ever do that would make my feelings for you dissipate in any way. You are my world, and you have been for longer than you know.”

            All Anna could do was stare at this perfect man before her. The man who had stolen her heart in the same way that she had stolen his. Now, it was Anna’s turn to tell him something. She reached up and caressed his stubbly cheek.

            “Joshua, I would never in my life ask you to leave. Didn’t you see how I just reacted when I thought I might’ve imagined you being here? You mean so much to me and you always have. I have held back my feelings for you for so many years; there is no way I’d ever ask you to leave when I’ve finally got you.”

            Josh reached his hand to grasp the back of her neck and pulled her in to kiss her. He just couldn’t get enough of those incredible full lips.

            “Anna! Josh! Are you awake? Breakfast is almost ready!” Susan yelled.

            Anna broke off the kiss. “We’d better go down there before she comes up here. We might not be so lucky this time,” she giggled.

            Josh just couldn’t resist her when she laughed. He kissed her one more time.

            “Yes, I’d say that’s a good idea. Let me just put some decent clothes on,” Josh added. He was only wearing his boxers and a grey T-shirt.

            Anna put her hands on his shoulders, leaned up, and whispered in his ear, “or don’t.” She gave him a devilish smile and headed down the stairs.

            Damn, she was going to drive him crazy.

 

**_Chapter 18_ **

            When Anna walked down the stairs, Susan couldn’t help but notice how refreshed and happy her daughter looked. Not to mention how long she had slept in. She felt like singing.

            “Oh Annie, you look like you slept wonderfully. And you slept in! How do you feel, sweetie?” Susan asked.

            Anna went straight to her mom and hugged her. “I feel wonderful, mum. I slept great. Thanks for making breakfast,” Anna replied.

            Susan hugged her daughter tightly. Now where was Mr. Jackson so she could hug him, too? Susan knew it was Josh’s presence that was making all the difference.

            “Oh, you’re welcome, honey. I am so glad to hear you slept well. Is Josh coming down?”

            “Yeah, he is just changing clothes really quick.”

            “Alright. So, what do you have in store for today?”

            “I’m taking Joshua surfing, since he’s never been. He has no idea that’s what we’re doing though,” Anna grinned. “Which reminds me, do you still have Dylan’s old surfboard? Joshua will need to borrow one.”

            “Yes, I do. In fact, I just saw it yesterday when I was cleaning out the shed. It’s in great shape.”

            “Great. Thanks, mum.”

            Susan smiled, “You guys are going to have a great day together.”

Just as Susan spoke her last sentence, Josh walked down the stairs. She looked over at Anna, who was staring at him affectionately and smiling. Josh returned the look to her. Susan hoped that Josh and Anna’s day at the beach would spark some of the feelings they undoubtedly had for each other. If not, Susan was going to have to step in.

            “Good morning, Josh. Come get some breakfast. You’re going to need it for what Annie has in store for you,” Susan claimed. She set plates in front of both Anna and Josh as they sat down at the table. She took a seat on the opposite side of her daughter.

            “Morning, Susan. Thank you so much for going through this trouble again. I haven’t eaten this well since I was a kid.”

            “Hey, what about all the times I’ve cooked for you, Mr. Jackson? Were you just being a gentleman when you said I was an excellent cook?” Anna joked.

            “No, you are an excellent cook. But I’m guessing you learned from your mother, who has got you beat,” Josh replied.

            “I guess I can’t argue with that. I did learn from the very best,” Anna said as she leaned in to give Susan a kiss on the cheek.

            “You two and your flattery. Now, eat up so you can get started on the day!”

            Josh and Anna obeyed, and started on their breakfasts. Neither one of them could wait to spend the day with each other.

 

**_Chapter 19_ **

“Are you ready to go?” Anna asked while walking into Josh’s room.

“Yep. Just making sure I have my sunglasses and—“ Josh started, but couldn’t finish. Anna was standing in his doorway in a black bikini with nothing but a pink, oversized, off-the-shoulder shirt over it. Her newly washed blonde hair glowed in the sunlight from the window. How could someone possibly be so beautiful? She completely blew him away.

“What is it?” Anna asked picking at her clothes. “Do I look funny? I haven’t worn this swimsuit in a while, and it’s a little big since I’ve lost some weight...”

Joshua couldn’t believe she thought she might look bad. He walked over to her and rested his hands on her hips.

“I was staring at you because you literally took my breath away. I have never laid eyes on anything more beautiful. I can’t believe you’re mine.” Joshua brushed her hair to the side and leaned down to kiss her neck. He ran his hands across her back, and then under the fabric of her shirt to feel her bare, flawless skin. Anna gasped with pleasure, and fisted her hands in his hair.

“At this rate we’re never going to get out of the house,” Anna sputtered breathlessly.

Josh stopped his lovely caresses with his hands and lips. Anna was a little disappointed.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just can’t keep my hands off of you. Restraining from touching you for 5 years is making me not want to ever stop touching you now.”

Anna leaned up to brush her lips against his ear and whisper “I love it when you touch me.” She leaned back and took his hand in hers. “But right now, I want to go have a fun, adventurous day with my Joshua.”

Hearing her call him “hers” made Josh ecstatic. “Then let’s go, sweetheart. I’ve got all I need right here beside me,” Josh responded, putting his arm around Anna’s shoulders.

Anna smiled up at him. “Great, let’s go get the surfboards.”

“The what?” Josh exclaimed.

Anna bit her lip and tried to stifle her mischievous smile. This was going to be good.

When they arrived at the beach, they were pleased to find it wasn’t crowded at all. It was in the middle of the week, though, so its emptiness made sense. Most people had jobs. This was one of those times Anna loved being an actress. Less people also meant a decreased chance of someone recognizing her, which meant she could be flirty with Josh.

“Are you ready for this, Jackson?” Anna teased as she took ahold of his hand.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, Torv,” Josh replied.

            They headed down the beach, hand in hand, and found a nice spot to set down their bags and towels. Anna proceeded to take off her shirt, and got the sunblock out of the bag. She lay stomach down on her towel.

            “Would you mind putting on my sunscreen for me?” Anna asked playfully.

            “Are you kidding? An excuse to get my hands on you? Hand it over, honey,” Josh replied, taking the sunblock from Anna. He straddled her, brushed her hair off of her back, and then squirted a little bit onto his hands. He rubbed his hands together to warm up the sunscreen, and started massaging it into her back.

            “Mmm,” Anna moaned contently.

Josh took his time rubbing her back, enjoying the feeling of her immaculate skin under his hands. He then untied the string to her bikini top to give him complete access to her back. Anna and Josh were both in heaven. Anna closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation of Josh sitting on top of her massaging in the sunscreen. When Josh had gotten her entire back and neck, he got off of her and moved on to the back of her legs. He started with her ankles and calves, working his way up. When he got to her thighs, he slowly rubbed the back of them. Then he went a little higher to get the skin showing on her bottom. He made sure to be careful not to violate her personal space, but she seemed to be enjoying it as much as he was. He had never touched Anna so intimately before. Josh continued massaging her bottom, then spread her legs a little but to get in-between her thighs. This area didn’t really need sunblock, but he wanted to touch her there so badly. She didn’t seem to mind in the least.

            Anna’s heart raced as he started massaging the most sensitive part of her legs. He was sure coming close to the apex of her thighs, and the thought of him touching her there made her both excited and nervous at the same time. She had thought about what sex with Josh would be like many times in the 5 years she’d known him. During “Fringe,” they’d had only one, short sex scene. She had been topless in it, and the feeling of Josh’s bare chest against hers had been incredible. They actually had to do the scene over a few times because they had been too passionate for the director’s liking—she didn’t mind one bit, though. He had kept looking at her like she was the most wonderful thing he’d ever seen and couldn’t stop kissing her. Anna had thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. Only now did Anna realize he hadn’t been faking the passion; it was genuine, just as hers was. The thought made her heart warm.

            Anna felt Josh straddle her again, and begin to tie her bikini back on. She felt soft kisses on her shoulders and her neck as Josh moved his lips down her body. He kissed and nipped every inch of her back, and still continued down. He kissed the bare skin her bikini bottom didn’t cover on her backside, and the backs of her thighs all the way down to her ankles. Anna was soaring in pleasure. When he got off of her, she wasn’t ready for it to end. She immediately turned onto her back and pulled him down on top of her by the collar of his white shirt. She brought his lips up to his and urgently began to kiss him, mouth open in invitation. They continued like this for about 30 seconds until they heard snickers. Josh broke off the kiss and looked up to see 3 young boys watching and laughing. They ran away in a fit of giggles when they noticed Josh looking at him.

            “Looks like we had an audience,” Josh laughed.

            “We must have been putting on quite the steamy show!” Anna replied.

            “You got that right. So, ready to hit the waves?”

            “Well, I’m ready to hit the waves. I don’t know how many waves you’ll be hitting,” Anna said jokingly.

            “We’ll see about that.”

At that moment, Josh ripped off his shirt, picked her up ignoring her shrieks, and ran towards the water.

            “Joshua Carter! Put me down! What are you—Ahhh!,” Anna shouted as Josh cannonballed into the ocean with her in his arms.

            When they came up for air, Josh was still holding her soaking wet form. They were both laughing so hard they could barely contain themselves.

            “I thought I would get us used to the water before we got on the boards,” Josh expressed innocently.

            “Yeah, right. I know you better than that, buddy! Your actions were pure mischief!” Anna exclaimed. “Now you are the one that has to go get the boards after puling that move.”

            “If you insist,” Josh replied, dropping Anna into the water. He started running before she could come up for air.

            “You’re going to pay for that, Jackson!” Anna yelled when she broke the surface of the water. They had barely even started their day, and she was already having the time of her life.

 

**_Chapter 20_ **

Watching Josh attempt to surf was by far the funniest thing Anna had ever seen. He took it so seriously, wanting so badly to be good at it. After about 5 hours of falling off of the board, Anna decided it was time to take a break and eat lunch. It was only 3 in the afternoon, but the beach was pretty much empty. They surely didn’t complain, though.

“Was I really that bad?” Josh said between bites of his ham and cheese sandwich. They had packed a simple picnic, and were sitting in the shade on their towels enjoying it. Anna had led him to a private little area with few people that she had come to frequently as a girl. He loved going to all of her secret places; it made him feel like she was sharing a part of herself that she’d never shared with anyone, which in reality, she hadn’t. Only him. She had never brought anyone here except Josh. They sat cuddled together enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun. Anna leaned against Josh’s chest between his legs, his arms resting on his raised knees.

“You just need some practice. I enjoyed your dedication though,” Anna replied with a smile. She took a bite of a TimTam—her favorite treat.

“Well, I’m guessing I’m going to get quite a bit of practice coming here with you. I know how much you love the beach.”

Anna turned to look at him. “You know it’s going to take a lot of practice right? A lot more than, let’s say, a week.”

“Well then, I guess I’ll have to stay longer than a week.”

“At least a year.”

“Then a year it is. Forever sounds even better, though.”

Anna couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. She stared at him in confusion, and he understood.

“Anna, I told you that I would never leave you, and I meant that with all of my heart,” Josh reassured.

“I know, and I believe you with all of my heart. I just assumed we would talk about our living arrangements in the future, if and when it ever came to that.” She looked into his eyes sincerely, “You’d really stay here in Australia for me? After only being here 2 days, you’ve already made up your mind?”

“I made up my mind the second I bought that one-way plane ticket here. I knew I couldn’t be without you one more second, sweetheart,” He said softly as he caressed her face. “It doesn’t matter what country I’m in. Anna, wherever you are is my home. I should’ve realized that so much sooner. But I’m here and you’re here, right now, in this moment. That’s all that matters anymore.”

Anna turned around and sat on her knees in front of him. Did he really just say all that? She didn’t even know people spoke like that anymore. In this moment, right now, Anna knew one thing for sure: she was absolutely, completely, head-over-heels in love with Joshua Jackson. He gave her no choice but to be. Ever since Mark, Anna believed that all love ever did was break and burn and end. But on this beach in this moment, all of her doubts vanished as she got lost in his eyes. She loved spending time with him and wanted to spend time with him for the rest of her life. He truly made her feel complete. When she was with him, she felt like she could be herself without any limitations. It was such a breath of fresh air. She never wanted to be without him again, not even for a minute. She took his face in her hands and brought her lips as close to his as she could without actually touching.

“Joshua, you are everything I’ve ever wanted and more,” she whispered. “I don’t know how my life could possibly get better than it is when I’m with you.”

That was all either of them could take. Their lips met fervidly as Anna pushed Josh to the ground. She wanted him, right here, right now. There was nobody else on the beach, and they were almost completely hidden from public view. Without taking her lips from his, she moved her hands down his muscular chest until she reached his happy trail. Moving her lips to his neck, she slowly inched her hand towards the front of his swimming trunks. However, before she could slide her hand under the fabric, Josh stopped her.

“Not like this, baby. Not here,” Josh spoke softly, bringing her hands to his lips and kissing them tenderly. “I want our first time to be special. I want to take it slow. Is that alright?”

“Of course it’s alright. I was just so caught up in the moment; it’s hard to keep my hands off of you,” Anna replied, kissing his nose and forehead. “I want our first time to be special, too. I want it to be perfect for both of us.”

“I’ll make sure of that. I promise.”

Anna rolled off of Josh, and laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his body. They lay like that, talking and laughing and kissing, until the sun started to go down.

“Oh, Joshua. Look how beautiful it is,” Anna exclaimed.

“The most beautiful sight I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Josh murmured, looking at her. Lying there in his arms, wearing his white undershirt over her bikini, she really was the most beautiful sight he’d ever laid eyes on. Her golden hair was reflecting the peach colored sun as it sank below the horizon. She turned her head and gazed at him with those enchanting peridot eyes, seeing right through him and into his soul.

Holy shit. It couldn’t be. This was what he had dreamt the night he bought the ticket to Gold Coast. This was the exact same moment, down to each tiny grain of sand.

“Joshua, what is it? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” Anna claimed as she laid her hand on his check.

All he could do was stare at her. He had dreamt this moment before it had even happened. That had to mean something. Then he remembered—right before he woke up, he was getting ready to tell Anna he loved her. It had been the most perfect moment, but he had missed his chance when he awoke and found himself in his bed, without her. That was the moment he realized where he needed to be. And now, he was back in that perfect moment getting another chance to finally tell her how he felt. This was it. This was real.

Josh sat up, and pulled Anna up with him. He took her hands in his, right where they belonged. Then, he started to speak.

“Anna, do you remember how you said you knew it was crazy how you could dream something so satisfying but feel so miserable when you woke up?” Josh asked.

“Yes, I remember,” Anna asked a little hesitantly. Where was this going?

“Do you remember what I said?”

“You said it didn’t sound crazy, not in the way I thought it did. What did you even mean by that, Joshua?”

He took a deep breath. Now this might sound a little crazy.

“I meant that I thought it was crazy in an entirely different way than you. I thought it was crazy because I had been having dreams and waking up feeling the same way; only I knew what my dreams were about.”

“What were they about?”

“You, Anna. I would dream about you every night, and wake up alone in my cold apartment. I loved dreaming about you, but I hated having to eventually wake up and be without you,” He squeezed her hands in his. “The night I bought the ticket, I had the most vivid dream about you. We were on the beach watching the sunset. You were wearing my white shirt over your swimsuit, and looking at me with those mesmerizing eyes.”

It didn’t take Anna long to catch on.

“Joshua, are you saying that you dreamt this moment we are having right now?” Anna asked, astounded.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. When I woke up, I knew that I had to buy that ticket. I knew that I needed to be with you.” Josh lifted his hand to her cheek, and spoke softly, “But in the dream, I was getting ready to tell you something. Something extremely important; possibly the most important thing you will ever hear me say. But before I could say it, I woke up. Now I get another chance, Anna. Right here, right now.”

Anna’s heart started thumping in her chest.

“What were you going to tell me?” She whispered, her voice barely audible. It was all she could manage. She knew what he was going to say, or at least prayed she knew.

Josh smiled, and rubbed his thumb back and forth across her cheek. He brought his face close to hers. She felt her breath hitch in her throat. His eyes were the intense color of sapphires; she had never seen them this way before. They were so fierce and all consuming that they left her speechless.

“That I love you, Anna. I love you so much. I think I have since the very first moment I laid eyes on you. You are my life; my world; my everything. I fall more in love with you everyday, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy.”

Anna was overcome with joy. She could feel his love for her radiating off his body and embracing her with the consistency of smooth, red silk. It was like nothing she had ever experienced. She wanted to laugh and cry and scream all at the same time; she’d never felt so many emotions all at once. Even though her head was spinning and she felt like she was floating on a cloud, she was absolutely sure of one thing.

“Oh Joshua, I love you, too,” she cried as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. “I love you, too. I always have and I always will.”

They sat there wrapped in each other’s arms, beaming with love and happiness. Yesterday had been wonderful, but today had been a million times better. For the first time, they both knew exactly what their purpose in life was. They finally knew where they belonged.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 21_ **

            Eating dinner several nights later, it was hard to keep from looking at each other in adoration. They both hated not being able to show affection 24/7—especially after they had finally admitted they were in love. It was perfect during the day when they were alone, but pretending they didn’t have feelings for each other at the house was nearly impossible. Anna wanted to tell her mother so badly, but Josh wanted to wait. He told her he had a plan, but at this point, she didn’t really care. It had been an entire week since he had gotten there, and she didn’t know if she could wait much longer.

            Getting ready for bed that night, Anna heard 2 knocks at her bathroom door.

            “Come in!” she shouted, spitting out a mouth full of toothpaste.

            Josh walked in with low-rise grey sweatpants and a white T-shirt on. How could he be wearing something so simple and yet look so incredibly attractive?

            “Hi, beautiful,” Josh announced as he walked up behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

            “Hi yourself,” Anna replied, turning around and locking her arms around his neck. What do I owe the pleasure of your company on this fine evening?”

            “I just wanted to come say goodnight before I headed off to bed.”

            Anna tried her best not to look saddened, but he knew her much too well to let that one slide.

            “Hey, what’s the matter?” He asked.

            “I know you have a plan all set when to talk to my mother, but this is pure torture for me, Joshua. I can’t keep pretending nothing is going on between us—you know how horrible I am at lying.”

            “I know, sweetheart. It’s hard for me, too. I have a plan to talk to your mom tomorrow.”

            “You do? Tomorrow? Oh Joshua, thank you,” Anna exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Then she remembered something, and pulled away from him. “Wait, my mom thinks you’re leaving tomorrow.”

            “Exactly.”

            “Oh Mr. Jackson, what charming little plan do you have up your sleeve this time?”

            “That’s for me to know and you to find out, my dear.”

            He leaned down and kissed her soft lips, a mischievous smile still on his face.

            “I wish you didn’t have to go,” Anna whispered. “I want you to hold me tonight so badly it hurts.”

He hated not being able to give her what she wanted. He couldn’t stand that look of discontentment on her face. Suddenly, she lit up.

“Joshua, come into my room tonight when my mum goes to bed. She never comes into my room at night because she knows how light of a sleeper I am,” Anna pleaded. She leaned up to nibble in his ear tantalizingly, “Please? For me?”

God, she knew just how to make him crazy. She had him completely wrapped around every single one of her dainty fingers. There was absolutely no way he could say no.

“Oh Anna, what you do to me. Yes, I will come to your room tonight. But I’m going to leave before your mom wakes up in the morning. Deal?” Josh bargained.

She hugged him again eagerly. “Deal.”

 

**_Chapter 22_ **

It was 12:17AM. Anna’s mother had said goodnight to her and went to bed exactly an hour ago. Where was Josh? Did he change his mind? Anna prayed he hadn’t. Interrupting her worried thoughts, Anna finally heard her door open and shut quietly. He was here. She knew he would come; he had never broken a promise to her. Not even a tiny one. She felt bad that the thought he wouldn’t come had even crossed her mind. Josh slid under the covers and pulled Anna as close to him as he could, spooning her. She fit perfectly against his body, like they were made for each other. Moving his head to whisper in her ear, he said:

“I’m sorry it took me so long. I wanted to make sure your mom was really asleep.”

Anna turned her body to face him, and snuggled her head into his chest. Now this was heaven. He wrapped his arm around her again. She could definitely get used to this.

“It’s okay. I’m just so glad that you’re here.”

“So am I.”

Josh kissed her forehead, and breathed her in. Holding her like this made him realize that all he had ever wanted had been right there in front of him for 5 years. Now, she was his. This gorgeous, intelligent, kind, amazing woman was his. What had he ever done to deserve someone like her, he thought for the billionth time. Better yet, what had he ever done to deserve her love? He wondered if she was sleeping yet.

“Baby?” Josh spoke quietly

“Hmm,” Anna replied sleepy.

“I love you.”

Anna smiled warmly. She brought her lips up to his and gave him a soft, sleepy kiss.

“I love you, too.”

With that, they fell into the deepest, most blissful sleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

 

**_Chapter 23_ **

Anna and Josh were at their flat in the middle of a conversation over breakfast. Anna was reading a new script for a popular television show role she’d landed, and Josh was looking over a screenplay he was writing. His wedding ring made a clinking noise as he picked up his coffee cup and brought it to his mouth. Before he left for work, he gave her a loving kiss…

Anna woke up with a start. She unanticipatedly remembered the dream she had just been having; her eyes widened in alarm. Oh my God. This was the dream she had been having for months, the dream that had caused her so much anxiety. She had finally remembered it. She knew it unmistakably. Only this time, she didn’t feel heartbroken as she awakened; she felt positively overjoyed. She was absolutely sure that Josh being here had caused her to remember. Could her dream possibly be a depicter of the future, like Josh’s? Oh, she hoped so. Married to the love of her life with a beautiful home? It sounded too good to be true; but for the last week, her life had been too good to be true.

Yet, remembering the dream made things so much clearer. Even if it didn’t necessarily predict the future, she now knew Josh was her other half; the part she had been so desperately missing. She had been sorrowful when she woke up from it before because she’d wanted it so badly, but didn’t think she’d ever have it. Her brain must have blocked out the dream as a defense mechanism protecting her from the pain. Yet, now that she was with Josh and knew they had a promising future together, the beautiful scene played back repeatedly in her mind, elating her. When this sudden realization hit, it was like finding something she’d never known she’d lost and looking at it with fresh eyes. He loved her. She loved him. They belonged together. She’d never been one to believe in things such as soul mates and fate, but she knew what she had with Josh could never be experienced with anyone else. She had to wake him up and tell him everything. As she leaned over to rouse him, she realized he wasn’t there. She had been so caught up in her dream that she didn’t even notice he was gone. She looked at the clock: it was 9:57AM. She swore she was sleeping in later and later. Anna jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs, too excited to contain herself.

 

**_Chapter 24_ **

            It was exactly 6:00 AM when Josh woke up. Anna was curled up on his chest, sound asleep. She looked like an angel. Careful not to wake her, he kissed her forehead softly and crawled out of the bed. She made a small “mmm” sound as she stirred, but didn’t wake up. She had a slight smile on her face, like she was dreaming of something happy. He earnestly hoped she was. Josh tiptoed to the door; thankful it didn’t squeak when he opened and shut it. He continued to tiptoe across the dark hallway into his room. He sat on the bed and played back in his mind what he was going to say to Susan. Josh knew she would be awake soon, and he wanted to tell her about him and Anna as soon as he could. Thirty minutes later, he heard Susan walk down the stairs to start on breakfast like she did every morning. He took a deep breath and followed her.

            Susan was just cracking some eggs on the skillet when she heard footsteps on the stairs. She turned to see Josh heading towards her looking serious. It had been a week, and he was supposed to be leaving today. She sincerely hoped she could talk him out of it.

            “Good morning, Josh; what a nice surprise. I usually cook breakfast alone. Come take a seat and we can chat,” Susan stated.

            “Good morning, Susan. I’d love to,” Josh replied, taking a seat at the table behind where she stood cooking.

            Susan put a lid on the skillet and came to sit across from Josh.

            “Josh, there is something I’ve been meaning to say to you all week,” Susan started.

            “There is something I’ve been meaning to say to you, too.”

            “Really? What is it?”

            “Please, you first.”

            “Alright. Josh, I wanted to tell you that I really don’t want you to leave. I know Anna doesn’t either. I’m aware I am asking more than I should and I don’t want to overstep my boundaries; but the way you two look at each other—it’s more than just ‘best friends,’” Susan insisted. “Before you got here, Annie was honestly a mess. This week, I finally got my daughter back. Even better, she is happier than I have ever seen her. I don’t know how, but you make her light up in ways I have never seen before. I don’t know you well enough to say for sure, but she seems to make you equally as happy. I know this is a lot to take in, but I needed to say it before you made up your mind to leave.”

            Josh was stunned. Susan didn’t want him to leave. She could see how happy he made Anna and how happy Anna made him. Better yet, she approved. She had just made this a lot easier on his part.

            “Susan, I’m not leaving.”

            “You’re not?” Susan replied both excited and confused.

            “No. That is what I wanted to tell you,” Josh explained, taking a deep breath before he said the rest. “Susan completely in love with your daughter. I have been for years. She is gorgeous, smart, kind, funny, and my very best friend. The reason I came to Australia was because being away from her for those 3 months made me grasp the fact that I honestly couldn’t live without her. We were always so afraid to tell each other how we felt in fear of ruining our friendship, but being separated for so long made us realize that we needed each other. Then being reunited made us realize that we could have something truly beautiful. I waited to tell you this because I need you to see for yourself that I am a trustworthy, responsible man that deeply cares for Anna. I need you to see that I would never, ever do anything to hurt her. I know I will never be good enough for her—nobody will—but I do love her more than anything in the world, and by some miracle, she loves me, too. You are the most important person in Anna’s life, and you raised her to be the most incredible person I have ever met. It would mean so much to me if I had your approval.”

            Susan felt the tears well up in her eyes and trail down her cheeks like raindrops on glass. Anna had finally found a man that truly loved her—Susan had no doubts in her mind about that. And he even had the nobility to ask for her approval. Anna deserved someone like him, and he deserved someone like Anna. Susan took his hands and smiled warmly.

            “Josh, that was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. There is no other man in this world that I would want Anna to be with more than you. You are the only man I trust will love her in the way she deserves to be loved and never break her heart. I approve of you one-hundred and fifty percent.”

            Josh stood up from his chair and brought her into a tight embrace.

            “Susan, thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you.”

            “No Josh, thank you. Now, let me go so I can finish breakfast.”

            “Yes ma’am.”

            She turned to him and shook his spatula in front of his nose.

            “Joshua Jackson, you better not call me ‘ma’am’ one more time. It’s either Susan or mum to you, mister, and don’t you forget it.”

            “I won’t. I promise,” Joshua insisted. He couldn’t help but smile.

Josh helped Susan cook breakfast, and they talked about almost everything. He could tell where Anna got all of her charm and beauty; a truly remarkable woman had raised her. Then out of nowhere, they heard bare footsteps smacking on the wood floor, as if someone was running. They turned to see Anna with a look of pure happiness on her face running towards them. Before Josh knew what was happening, she took his face in her hands and kissed him.

 

 

****

**_Chapter 25_ **

            Startled, Josh didn’t know what to do. She was kissing him more passionately than she ever had before, so it didn’t take long for him to grab the back of her neck and kiss her back. Neither of them even recalled Susan’s presence—they were the only ones in the room at that moment. When Anna finally pulled back, she had tears in her eyes as she caressed Josh’s wonderstruck face.

            “It’s you, Joshua. It’s always been you,” She spoke softy. “I have felt like something has been missing from my life for weeks, but everything is perfectly clear now. I was missing you.”

            She wrapped her arms tightly around him again. It was then Josh finally remembered Susan; he looked over to find her eyes shining like crystals from unshed tears. Her hands were clasped together over her heart, and she was smiling with unadulterated happiness.

            “I’ll let you two have some time alone,” She whispered sweetly.

            Anna turned her head, still clinging to Josh’s neck, lastly realizing her mother had been standing there all along.

            “No, mum, wait. I need you to know something,” she let go of Josh, and walked over to her mother, taking her hands in hers. “Joshua is the love of my life. He makes me happier than I ever knew possible; he makes me see the wonderful things about myself that I didn’t even know existed. I know how badly you don’t want my heart to get broken, but you don’t have to worry about that with Joshua. He has never hurt me, lied to me, or broken a promise to me in all of the years I have known him. He would do absolutely anything for me. Just looking into his eyes, I can see how much he loves me. Joshua wanted to wait to tell you about us so he could gain your trust and prove to you how deeply he cares about me because he knows how much I mean to you. That’s how completely honorable he is. But, mum, I just can’t wait anymore. I can’t keep acting like I’m not in love with him. So, now you know.”

            Anna took a deep breath from her long speech, and bit her lip, awaiting her mother’s reaction.

            “I know, sweetheart. Joshua already told me,” Susan confirmed. “Besides, I have known all along. I actually had a plan to keep Josh here longer so you guys would’ve realized you were in love already!” Susan laughed. “You two might’ve pretended like you were only friends, but there was nothing you could do about that unconditional love for each other in your eyes. I truly couldn’t be happier for you both.”

            Anna looked from Josh to her mother then back at Josh. She felt like she was the last one to know the lock on the door had changed.

            “Wait, you already knew? Since when?” Anna asked.

            “This morning, right before you made your grand entrance, actually. He gave me a lovely speech, a lot like yours,” Susan replied.

            Anna looked at Josh incredulously. “You did?”

            “I told you last night I’d talk to your mom today. You know I’d never break a promise to you,” Josh stated.

            Anna just didn’t know what to do. So, their secret was out. She thought that once her mother knew, everything would finally be perfect; but that wasn’t exactly the case.  Around her mother, was she supposed to be “lovey-dovey” on Josh like she was when they were alone? Or was she supposed to keep the romance to a minimum? She was stuck.

            “So… what now?” Anna asked awkwardly.

            “Well, now we eat breakfast. Then you two go and do whatever it is you do. I will have a surprise ready for you when you get back,” Susan claimed.

            “Oh… okay. Well we didn’t really make plans but—“ Anna started, but was interrupted by Josh.

            “I have plans for us. Don’t worry, I’ve got this all under control.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 26_ **

After breakfast, Josh told Anna to put on some comfortable clothes and nice walking shoes. Though confused, she obeyed. Josh knew how much she loved surprises—especially when they came from him.

            “Are you going to tell me where we are going?” Anna asked.

            “Nope. You’ll see when we get there,” Josh responded.

            “Joshua, you have been here for a week. How do you possibly know what you’re doing?”

            “I have my ways. Trust me, honey.”

            “You know I do. More than anyone. Besides, I’m excited to go on whatever adventure you have in store for us today.”

“Good, because we will have countless more during the span of our lives.”

“I don’t doubt that for a second, Mr. Spontaneous.”

When they had finished getting ready and said goodbye to Susan, Josh led them to the car. He got in on the driver’s side door.

“Joshua, what do you think you’re doing?” Anna asked, bewildered.

“I’m driving,” Josh answered matter-of-factly.

Anna was a little reluctant, but she got in. Josh had always gotten in the car with her when she drove in Canada and the States. If he planned on living here with her, he was going to have to learn sooner or later, right? Josh backed out of the driveway, and headed down the street. He drove with purpose, like he had been here his whole life and knew exactly where they were going.

About 5 minutes into the drive, Josh turned on the radio. He was interested to see what kind of music Aussies listened to. His eardrums were instantly pervaded with the raw, enchanting melody of easy instruments and one of the most uniquely beautiful voices he’d ever heard. The screen in the car said the song was called “Like a Star” by Corinne Bailey Rae. Anna instantly turned it up and started singing along. He loved when she sang; she had a truly lovely voice. As the song progressed, a smile appeared on her face as she took his hand.

“This song fits the way I feel about you perfectly. It’s like she was reading my mind when she wrote it. How ironic that it would come on the radio,” Anna speculated.

“Irony or fate? Personally, I’d like to believe it’s the latter,” Josh said.

“So would I,” Anna agreed.

They drove for another 15 minutes, holding hands and singing along to the radio, until Josh turned and headed up a dirt trail hidden by trees. In all the years Anna had lived here, she’d never been up this road, or even seen it. He continued along the road a little farther, then pulled into a flat area under the shade of a tree and parked.

“You ready?” Josh asked excitedly.

She couldn’t help but be excited, too

“Of course. Let’s go!”

They hiked along for what seemed like hours; but neither of them minded. They were both avid lovers of the outdoors. The trees shaded them, so the temperature was absolutely perfect. It was also nice to have some time outside of the house and the beach where it was just the two of them. Before long, they came to a small body of water surrounded by trees, shrubbery, flowers, and rocks. It was the most gorgeous place either of them had ever seen. Josh walked over to the water and crouched down, sticking his hand in. It was warm. He put his backpack on the ground and started to undress.

“Joshua, what in the world are you doing?” Anna wondered.

“Going for a little swim. Join me?” Josh questioned.

“I didn’t bring a swimsuit. These are the only clothes I have.”

“Who said anything about swimsuits?”

Without any further warning, Josh stripped down to his birthday suit and sank in the water. Laughing, Anna put her hand over her mouth in astonishment.

“Oh Anna, you have to come in here. The water is amazing”

“What if someone sees us?”

“Then I guess they see us. Come on. One of my favorite things about you is how comfortable you are with your body,” Josh persuaded. “Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time I saw you naked—from the waste up, at least.”

Well, she really had nothing to lose; and that water did look fabulous—almost as fabulous as Joshua. Like he’d said, she’d never been embarrassed of her body, and she especially wasn’t embarrassed around Josh. Anna peeled off her tank top and shorts, and felt Josh’s eyes burning into her. She slowly reached behind her and unhooked her bra, letting the lacey piece of fabric fall to the ground. Then she hooked her thumbs into her matching panties, slid them down to her ankles, and stepped out of them. The only thing Josh could do was stare, mouth open wide, at this flawless woman who was his. He never knew something so perfect had even existed. Anna leisurely eased into the water until her feet touched the bottom. The water went up to her neck. Josh was a little disappointed that her wonderful body was hidden from his sight, but having her here with him was all he really cared about. He languidly walked over to her, and put his hands on her hips under the water.

“So, what do you think?” Josh asked.

“I think that you were right—this water is amazing,” Anna replied.

They moved fluidly to the edge of the basin, and found a large, flat rock under the water perfect for sitting. Once they were situated, Josh decided to bring up the events that had happened earlier.

“So, tell me about your dream. I have been dying to ask you since you attacked me this morning,” Josh insisted playfully.

“I didn’t attack you,” Anna laughed, nudging him. She sighed and rested her head against on his shoulder. “Oh, it was the most wonderful dream I’ve ever had. You and I were just talking and laughing over breakfast in our home, getting ready for work.” She turned her head to look at him, “And we were married, Joshua. We were so extremely happy.”

The smile on Josh’s face got bigger as the story went on. They were married in her dream. God, he hoped her dream was somehow a predictor of the future like his was. He brought his hand to her face and leaned down to kiss her.

“I made up my mind just now. Your dream is definitely a vision into the future. We are both clairvoyants,” Josh joked.

Anna laughed, “I want it to be more than anything. I have been playing back that scene in my head nonstop since I woke up.”

“I wish I could see it.”

“Someday, you will. And I will be there to point it out to you and prove that we are in fact freaks of pseudoscience nature,” Anna giggled. “Oh, J.J. and Wyman would love this. What do you think they’d say about us being together?”

“That it’s about damn time! I can’t even remember how many times they asked me if we were dating yet.”

“I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out.”

“Me neither.”

They sat there talking, enjoying the water, scenery, and each other. After several minutes, that familiar electric current between them became more enduring than it ever had been before. They could both feel the undeniable pull, and soon, neither of them could hold back. Once they looked at each other, there was no turning back.

Josh got up from the rock, and stood in front of where Anna was still sitting. Since the rock was higher than the bottom of the pool, they were face to face. Anna could feel her heart having spasms in her chest as she looked into his beautiful eyes. Josh reached his arms toward her body and smoothed his hands around her stomach and hips; her skin felt even more incredible and smooth underwater, if that was even possible. He wanted to touch every single inch of her. He continued to move his hands along her hips, finding his way to the small of her back. He moved upwards towards her neck and down her arms to her hands. Anna’s eyes were closed, enjoying the feeling of his hands on her nude body. Caught up in the sensation, she was caught of guard when she felt Josh’s hands trace the swell of her breasts. Slowly, he cupped them, squeezing and releasing. He found his way to her nipples, and rolled them between his thumb and index finger until they ached with need. She let out an automatic sigh of pleasure. All he had done was touch her and she could barely contain herself. Just when she didn’t think she could take anymore of the torturous pleasure, he brought his arms around her and pulled her close. Her legs wrapped around his body; her womanhood against his muscular stomach. His naked body felt perfect against hers. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

“God, why didn’t we do this years ago?” Josh asked, his head resting atop hers.

“Because we were so afraid of the bad that we didn’t even consider the good. I am so glad one of us realized how beautiful this could be. Everything that has happened this week is because of you, Joshua,” Anna replied.

“Not everything. It would have been all for nothing if you hadn’t taken the risk with me. We did this together, sunshine.”

Anna was quiet for a moment. Right here, right now, with him, everything was absolutely perfect. Except there one thing missing between the two of them that could only be fulfilled in one way. “Joshua,” she whispered. “I want you to make love to me.”

Josh’s want for her quickly turned into a burning desire. He had wanted to make love to her for years; but now, they were finally ready. They both craved that unyielding closeness two people can only feel after loving intercourse. He’d wanted to wait until the perfect moment with Anna, but holding her in his arms amidst the most beautiful scenery he’d ever seen made him realize that this was that moment. It was much more special than a bedroom could ever be. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and kissed her in a way that only two people truly in love could ever experience. Moving his hands underneath her bottom, he picked her up, with her legs and arms still wrapped around him, and headed towards the shore. He laid her down on a blanket he had put down earlier for them to eat on when they got hungry. Josh thought back to a week ago when he had lied on top of her in his hotel room—it seemed like years ago. So many wonderful things had happened since that night.

            Josh continued to kiss her passionately all over her face and neck. He trailed warm kisses downwards until he reached the swell of her right breast. He kissed all around it tenderly, and then turned his focus on her nipple. He sucked, licked, and nipped her, causing Anna’s hips to buck against his involuntarily. He let out a moan of satisfaction with her nipple still in his mouth. She tasted so unbelievably good. Just when she though she couldn’t take any more, he found his way to her other breast, which sent her flying once more. When she opened her eyes, all she could see above her was the clearest, bluest sky she’d ever laid eyes on. It was the exact color of Josh’s eyes, which made her smile and tighten her fists in his hair. This place couldn’t have been a more perfect choice for their first time. Continuing with his wonderful assault on her breast, Josh slowly smoothed his hand down until he was cupping Anna’s silky mound. Moving his finger between the folds, he found her most sensitive part and massaged her in a circular motion. She let out a loud cry of pleasure, basking in the incredibly torturous sensations going on throughout her entire body. He looked into her eyes as he pleasured her and couldn’t help but bring his lips to hers. They kissed fervently as the golden sunlight radiated down and consumed them with soothing warmth. Every single nerve ending on their bodies was alive and tingling with need. Wanting to see if she was ready, Josh gently and slowly inserted his middle finger inside of her. Anna let out another moan of satisfaction. She was more than ready.

            Spreading her legs even farther, he positioning himself over her. He lightly rubbed the tip of his manhood along her womanhood until he found her opening. Looking into her sea green eyes, Josh slowly inched inside of her until they bumped bottom. Oh, it was pure bliss. Neither of them had ever felt anything more exhilarating. He moved back out then in again until they created slow rhythm. Anna dug her nails into his back as her breathing began to quicken.

“Joshua,” Anna moaned, his name tasting heavenly on her tongue. Eyes closing in overwhelming satisfaction, all she could do was envision his perfect face and feel him moving inside of her. Finding her lips, Josh explored the inside her mouth with his tongue as their slow rhythm began to increase in speed. Their breathing turned into panting and moaning as each of them got closer to their climax. Putting all of his weight on her, he intertwined their fingers together above her head. He was now completely in control of her body. Anna wrapped her legs around him as she went higher and higher, allowing him to go deeper inside of her. Their thrusts built up speed and intensity until they reached their peak in unison, crying out in blinding pleasure. Josh collapsed on her and buried his face into her neck, going soft inside of her. He was completely overcome with his love for this woman. Anna’s eyes were closed, her hands still intertwined with his above her head. All they could hear were each other’s quick, shallow breaths and beating hearts.

            “Oh Anna,” Josh spoke softly. “I love you.” It was all he could say since there simply weren’t words for how he felt in that moment.

            Anna was still trying to regain herself after the most incredible lovemaking she’d ever experienced and just couldn’t bring herself to speak. She felt as if she was on a cloud and couldn’t come down. She still had absolutely no control over her body or mind.

            After about fifteen minutes of post-sex cuddling, Josh rose and pulled Anna up with him, who was still recuperating from an intense love high. Taking her hand, he led her to the spot where they had undressed to get into the water. Josh reached down and found Anna’s garments and helped her into them. Once she was dressed, he dressed himself, and guided Anna back to the blanket. He leaned against a tall tree and pulled her in to rest between his legs. She turned her body so she could nestle her face in his neck and wrap her arms around him. Josh stroked her shiny damp hair.

            “I love you too, Joshua,” Anna whispered. She had never felt closer to anyone than she did with him in that moment. Making love had brought them together as one inseparable unit. She would always have a piece of him with her, and he would always have a piece of her with him. She and Josh truly had the kind of love only talked about in fairytales, and she felt so blessed to have him as her best friend and soul mate.

 

**_Chapter 27_ **

“So how did you know how to find this place anyway?” Anna asked between bites of her apple. She was still curled up in-between his legs under the shade of the tree.

“Honestly? I didn’t. I just sort of started driving. Then I saw that hidden road and decided to follow it. Damn am I glad I did that.” Joshua responded.

“Wait, you never knew where you were going? Oh Joshua. Someday you’re going to get us into a lot of trouble. You’re lucky I love you so much.”

“You’re right, I am lucky. The absolute luckiest man alive,” He said as he quickly stole a kiss from her.

            “Are you ready to head back to the house? We’ve been out here for hours,” She observed.

            “Yeah, we can head back,” Josh said as he took one last look at the incredible place where they had merged themselves, mind, body, and soul, for eternity.

 

**_Chapter 28_ **

            Susan had just sat down to take a break when she heard the door open. Seconds later, Josh and Anna appeared in the kitchen hand-in-hand. They looked so undeniably happy.

            “Hey there, you two. Did you have a good day?” Susan questioned.

            Anna and Josh looked at each other and smiled.

“The absolute best,” Josh answered, putting his arm around Anna.

“Yes. Unforgettable,” Anna added, still smiling at Josh.

            “I’m so glad to hear that. You guys got back just in time. Follow me, I have something to show you,” Susan insisted.

            With that, she walked out of the kitchen excitedly. Anna and Josh exchanged look of uncertainty, and followed behind. They continued out the front door and headed towards the decent-sized garage Susan had always used for storage. She unlocked and opened the side door and headed inside. Once they were all inside, Susan started to lead them up some stairs towards a loft above the garage. Anna’s brother, Dylan, had used it as a bedroom when he got to be about 16. It even had its own bathroom, which was a perfect place for a teenage boy to have some alone time in a house of women. Anna had completely forgotten about this room—she hadn’t been in it for years. When she reached the top of the stairs and stepped inside the loft, it looked entirely different than the last time she’d been in there. Gone were her brother’s posters, dirty laundry, and computer gadgets. It now had a queen-sized bed with a nice, patterned comforter, matching pillows and curtains, wooden dressers, and a TV. It was wonderful.

            “So, what do you think?” Susan asked Anna.

            “Mum, it’s incredible. Did you do all of this just today?” Anna replied.

            “I did a lot of it today, but I have been working on it for a while.”

            “It really looks amazing. I can’t believe how different it looks from the last time I was in here—it’s actually clean!” Anna laughed. “But is there a reason you were so excited to show us this?”

            “Well of course there is. This is where you and Josh will be staying until you get your own place together, which I have no doubt in my mind will happen soon. I thought you two could use some privacy until that happened.”

            Anna was shocked. “Really? You did this for us? Oh, mum, thank you so much. This is wonderful. I love it. And I love you.” Anna wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her tightly. “I couldn’t ask for a better mother. You do more than enough for me.”

            “You’re very welcome, Annie girl,” Susan said as she squeezed her daughter tightly. “I love you, too.”

When they finished hugging, Josh walked up to Susan and put his hand affectionately on her arm.

“Susan, thank you so much for this. Thank you for welcoming me into your home, feeding me, and most importantly for trusting me with your beautiful daughter. You are such an incredible person,” He commented.

Susan pulled Josh into a hug. “I should be the one thanking you for bringing my Annie back to me. This is the least I could do,” Susan stated. Letting Josh go, she took one of his and Anna’s hands in each of hers. “Now, go and get your things and settle in.”

 

**_Chapter 29_ **

After making multiple trips from the house to the loft, Josh and Anna finally had all of their belongings in the room. They had already eaten dinner, and were sitting on the bed. It had been a long, amazing day they would never forget. Anna was resting her head on Josh’s shoulder, taking in their new surroundings.

            “I love this. I feel like we’re a real couple now,” Anna announced.

            “Same here. This is wonderful. No more sneaking into your room in the middle of the night and leaving before the sun comes up,” Josh teased.

            “Nope. Now you can hold me all night, and I will get to wake up to your handsome face every single morning.”

Anna couldn’t wait for that.

“Sounds great to me,” Josh said, kissing her forehead. “How about we get ready for bed? I’d like to get started on that ‘holding you all night’ thing.”

Anna jumped off of the bed, wanting to get started on that, too. She walked over to the drawer he’d put his T-shirts in and opened it. She pulled out a faded grey shirt and threw it on the bed. Josh was watching her with a gleam in his eyes. Anna pulled off her tank top and jeans, leaving her in only undergarments. As she reached to unhook her bra, Josh stopped her.

“Wait. Let me do it,” He insisted.

Anna headed over to him and sat between his legs on the bed. He brought his hands to her back and slowly unclasped her bra. Her skin felt like it was on fire everywhere that he touched. She stuck her arms out, and let her bra fall to the floor, then stood up so he could remove her panties. Josh rested his hands on her hips, and gently kissed the small of her back. He moved his hands down her legs, taking her underwear with them until they reached the floor. He reached for his T-shirt on the bed and stood up so he could place it over Anna’s head.

“God you are beautiful,” He whispered in her ear.

            He put the shirt over her head and was a little disappointed as it covered her flawless body all the way to her knees.

            “Now it’s your turn,” Anna said playfully. She pushed him back on the bed and started to unbutton his shirt, kissing his chest after every button she opened. When she got to the last button, she moved on to his jeans, pulling them down his legs until they were on the ground. Josh sat up and allowed Anna to remove his shirt, leaving him in only his boxers. He crawled to the top of the bed and got under the covers, patting the opposite side of the bed for Anna. Turning off the bedside light, Anna got into bed and curled up against Josh.

            “Goodnight baby,” Josh spoke softly as he kissed her lips. “I love you more than words could ever say.”

            “Goodnight, Joshua. I love you, too.”

 

**_Chapter 30_ **

The next three weeks were just as amazing as the first. Anna and Josh went on many adventures, talked, laughed, and made love. They were having the time of their lives together. At the start of his fifth week in Australia, Josh and Anna decided it was time they got their own flat. Anna really wanted to stay in Gold Coast so she could be near her mother; Josh had no complaints since he loved both Susan and Gold Coast. Not to mention he’d do absolutely anything to make Anna was happy. They started looking at places in the newspaper every morning, and weren’t having much luck.

That morning, Josh woke up early and went to go get the newspaper from outside. Susan didn’t mind since he made sure to bring it back when they came inside for breakfast. Him and Anna usually went on a walk in the mornings, but she had been sleeping in really late the past week. She had also gained her weight back and looked very healthy, which made both him and her mother extremely happy. Heading back to the loft, Josh opened the paper to the real estate section and began reading. Just like every morning, he expected to find nothing. He kept on reading, and suddenly stopped in his tracks. A picture of a beautiful apartment seemed to glow on the page. He read the details, and realized that it would be perfect for them. He had to show Anna right away. Josh ran up the stairs and gently shook Anna awake.

“Wha-what’s going on? Joshua? Is everything okay?” She asked sleepily.

“A, I think I found the perfect place for us. It has three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, and it’s only six miles away from your mom. It’s right by the beach, and it’s beautiful. Look.”

Anna sat up and took the paper from his hands. As soon as she saw the picture of the kitchen, she gasped. This was the apartment she’d saw in her dream.

“Oh my God, Joshua. This is it. This is the flat we were in during my dream. I’m sure of it.”

“What? Holy shit.”

“We have to call. Right now.”

Anna picked up her cell off of the nightstand and called the number listed for the apartment. After about 5 minutes on the phone, Anna had set up a tour of the place for 10:00, which was in 1 hour. They hurriedly got ready and went to tell Susan the great news. Each grabbing a piece of toast and a banana, they got in the car and headed to the apartment building. Both of them could tell this was going to be a great day.


	7. Chapter 7

 

**_Chapter 31_ **

            The apartment was absolutely beautiful. It had high ceilings and a large window in the living room overlooking the beach. There were two tall double doors in the middle of the window leading out to a porch with stairs going right down to the beach. The kitchen and living area were connected and made one big, open room. It was painted a cozy light cinnamon. The master bedroom also had a large window overlooking the ocean, as well as 2 huge walk-in closets and a bathroom equipped with 2 sinks, a large shower, and a luxurious bathtub. The other two bedrooms were each fairly large, with a bathroom connecting them. There was also another smaller bathroom right off of the living room. It was the perfect place for just the two of them. They made an offer right away, and luckily landed the place on the first try. It took all of Anna’s self-control not to jump up and down and scream like a little girl. Josh and Anna filled out all of the necessary paperwork, and made it official. In only 2 more weeks, they would have their own home.

            Finding the apartment in the paper, making an appointment for a tour, going on the tour, and buying the place had only taken 3 ½ hours. On their way back to the house, Anna finally let out her excitement. She was doing happy dances in her seat and singing loudly to the radio. Josh had never seen her this happy, and her elatedness started to rub off on him. Soon, they were both singing and dancing in the car, undoubtedly looking like crazy people to passing vehicles. But, they could care less. They had just taken their first big step as a serious couple.

            When they got back to the loft, Anna wanted to start packing right away.

            “Baby, we’ve still got 2 whole weeks! Besides, the place is already furnished. We hardly have anything to pack,” Josh laughed.

            “I know, I know. I’m just so excited!” She shrieked as she put her arms around Josh’s neck. Then a thought crossed her mind.

            “Joshua, we still need to go to Vancouver to get your stuff. You have been living out of those 2 suitcases for over a month,” Anna observed.

            “I don’t mind. I have all I need right here in my arms.”

            He was so genuinely sweet. She still couldn’t believe he was hers. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. Josh looked at her in utter confusion.

            “A, what is it?” He asked.

            “You are just so sweet, I-I guess it made me cry. I honestly don’t know,” She said, wiping her eyes. “But I really want to go to Vancouver not only to get your stuff, but to see your family, too.”

            Wow, she had sure been emotional the past couple of days.

            “Well don’t cry, honey. How about we go look at plane tickets right now?”

            “Okay. I’d like that.”

            Josh went and got his laptop off the dresser and sat on the bed to open it. He pulled up a ticket site, and typed in Gold Coast to Vancouver. There was a plane leaving tomorrow afternoon from the Gold Coast airport and coming back 3 days later.

            “Well, there’s a plane leaving tomorrow afternoon. We would be in Vancouver for 3 days. Would that be too soon?” Josh questioned.

            “No, that’s perfect. Let’s get tickets.”

            Without further question, Josh bought the tickets.

            “Alright, it’s a done deal. Vancity, here we come,” Josh stated.

 

**_Chapter 32_ **

Until boarding the plane the next day, Josh had forgotten how horribly long and boring the plane ride was. He hoped Anna wouldn’t be too uncomfortable. As they settled in their seats, Josh was thankful this plane was bigger and smelled better than the last one.

“You comfortable?” Josh asked.

“Yeah. For now, anyway. This is going to be a long day,” Anna replied.

“Hey, at least you’ve got me to keep you company.”

“If you don’t fall asleep, that is. You always fall asleep on planes! I wish I could.”

“I will try my best not to fall asleep, scout’s honor.”

“Okay,” Anna said, and took his hand in hers.

            After being in the air for about 45 minutes, Anna decided to read her cheesy romance she still hadn’t finished. She hadn’t read it since the day before Josh had arrived. Opening it, she scanned back a few pages from her bookmark to refresh her memory. Oh yes, the lead male character had just proposed to the lead female character, and they were both extremely happy. Anna remembered feeling angry and jealous at this part in the book because she knew that marriages didn’t last; at least not in her experience. Now, after the best month of her life, she had hope again. She looked at the proposal scene in her book with fresh eyes, and felt nothing but happiness for the new couple. Josh had completely changed her perspective on love and happiness just by being there with her. What she once thought only existed in fictional books was happening to her right here, right now: True love. Anna looked over at Josh, and found him asleep. She couldn’t help but smile. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she opened her book and began to read.

 

**_Chapter 33_ **

When they arrived in Vancouver at 10:00 PM 36 hours later, they were both delirious with exhaustion; especially Anna. She had slept for less than hour the entire trip. Josh was so thankful he lived close to the airport. When they finally got their luggage, Josh pinned down a taxi and loaded everything in the trunk. He told the driver his address and got into the back of the taxi with Anna. The entire way back to his apartment she had to force her eyes to stay open. Josh felt terrible.

“We’re almost there, baby,” Josh reassured, massaging her stiff shoulders. “Just a couple more minutes.”

When the taxi pulled alongside his apartment, Josh paid the driver and helped Anna out of the cab. He was so glad that they had shared suitcases; there was no way she was going to be able to carry anything. Josh piled the smaller bags on top of the 2 large rolling bags and headed towards the front door. Charlie, Josh’s favorite doorman, was outside. Although he was great at his job and a good friend, he was always in the mood for a long conversation. All Josh wanted to do right now was get Anna to bed.

“Josh! Long time no see, friend! Where have you been?” Charlie asked.

“Hey buddy. I have been in Australia. You remember Anna, don’t you?” Josh replied.

“Of course I do! I would never forget a face like hers. How are you doing, Ma’am?

“I’m great, thanks,” Anna replied, clearly exhausted.

“Well Charlie, I’d love to stay and chat, but we are both really tired from our trip. We really need to get to bed,” Josh insisted.

“No worries, completely understandable,” Charlie said as he opened the door. “It’s great seeing you, Josh. You too, Miss Torv.”

Josh and Anna both thanked him and headed towards the elevators. After what seemed like a century had passed, one finally came. They headed inside and Anna pressed the “18” button for Josh’s floor. The elevator appeared to take much longer than it usually did. No surprise there. Josh decided it would be best to get his keys ready so they wouldn’t have any more obstacles getting in the way of much needed sleep. At last, they made it inside Josh’s place. After being away for so long, it looked almost foreign to him, like it belonged to some lonely bachelor. Which, in fact, it had. Anna walked straightaway to the bedroom and practically collapsed on the bed. By the time he got into his room, she was already sound asleep. She was wearing white skinny jeans and a black blouse with sparkly black flats. She really didn’t look that comfortable. Wanting her to sleep well throughout the night, Josh decided to change her clothing into something more cozy, doing his best not to wake her up. He started with her shoes, then jeans, then blouse, then bra. She must’ve been in a deep sleep because she didn’t even budge. He opened his T-shirt door and smiled when he found one with a Massive Dynamic logo on the front. Anna would get a kick out of that when she woke up. He put it on her carefully and got her situated under the covers. After all of that, she hadn’t even twitched. Watching her sleep, a yawn escaped from Josh’s mouth. He was exhausted, too. He stripped down to just his boxers and curled up next to Anna under the covers. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

 

**_Chapter 34_ **

When Josh woke up, it was 9:30 AM. He’d gotten a solid 9 hours of sleep and felt 10 times better than he had last night. Anna was still sound asleep with her head resting on his chest. She looked so peaceful and angelic in her sleep. He stroked her silky hair and kissed the top of her head. He had woken up countless times in this room, staring at that white ceiling above him, dreaming about having her in his arms. Now she was here, and she was his. Careful not to wake her, Josh slid out from underneath her to go start on breakfast. She would undoubtedly be hungry when she woke up—she hadn’t eaten in almost 24 hours. He decided to make pancakes, which were one of her absolute favorites. He needed to go get some groceries, so he left a note for her in case she woke up. He highly doubted she would, though—he’d never seen her sleep this hard in his life. Grabbing his keys, Josh quietly left his apartment.

Living in the middle of the city was great for things like quickly running to the store to get groceries. He was back in his apartment in less than 20 minutes, grocery bags in hands. Josh cautiously peeked at Anna again; she hadn’t moved a muscle. He had the urge to go and check to see if she was breathing like she was an infant, but decided against it. She was just exhausted from the trip. Josh decided it would be best to just start on breakfast and coffee and let her rest.

Anna’s eyes shot open as she sat up in bed. For a second, she didn’t know where she was. She looked around the room and saw numerous pictures of her and Josh. She was at Josh’s apartment in Vancouver. Oh yes, now she remembered. After that realization, she jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom feeling extremely nauseous. Anna collapsed by the toilet and started to heave—but her stomach was completely empty. She didn’t feel like she had the flu, since her body didn’t ache and she didn’t seem to have a temperature. The nausea just seemed to hit her instantly.

Josh thought he heard the sound of bare feet running coming from his bedroom. When he looked in to check on Anna, she wasn’t there. However, the light was on in the bathroom. When he walked in, he saw Anna collapsed on the floor, her head resting on her arms leaning against the toilet.

“Oh my God,” Josh exclaimed as he crouched down next to her. He took her face in his hands; she was as white as a ghost. “Anna are you okay? Are you sick?”

Anna was so glad Josh was here. She fell into his body and nestled her face in his chest. “I’m okay. I just woke up and felt really nauseous,” she said weakly.

“It’s probably because you haven’t eaten in over 24 hours,” Josh stroked her hair as he spoke to her. “Do you think you could eat something?”

Now that she thought about it, she was starving. “Yes. I’m really hungry.”

Josh stood up and gently helped Anna to her feet. He put his arm around her waist for balance, not trusting her walking by herself. He led her to the bar at the kitchen and guided her onto a stool. A few seconds later, Anna had a plate full of pancakes with butter and syrup. She literally felt her mouth water.

“Joshua this is wonderful. Thank you so much,” Anna said.

“It’s my pleasure, sweetheart,” Josh replied, kissing the top of her head. “I just hope you feel better after eating.”

Anna practically inhaled 5 pancakes and 2 glasses of orange juice. Josh had made coffee, but the thought of it made her feel sick again. Eating did make her feel a lot better, though. She was thankful that horrible nauseous feeling was finally gone.

“How are you feeling? I don’t think I have ever seen you eat that fast in my life,” Josh laughed.

“I feel great now. I was just so hungry. I don’t think I’ve ever been that hungry before.”

“Well I won’t let that happen ever again. I will make sure you have something to eat when we head home, okay? I’m sorry, Anna.” Josh felt horrible for letting her go without food for so long. Sure, he’d gone almost as long as her without eating, but that didn’t matter. She was much more important to him than he was to himself.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. I’m a big girl. I had plenty of chances to get snacks on the planes and I didn’t. It was stupid of me to think I could go so long without eating.”

“I just want to take care of you, Anna.”

“I know you do, and I like when you take care of me. But there are certain things that I need to do on my own and that I am solely responsible for. I never want you to blame yourself for anything that happens to me. Promise?”

It was hard for Josh to promise her that, but he knew that was what she wanted. “Okay. I promise.”

“Thank you. Now, should we start getting your things packed?”

Josh looked around his apartment. It just seemed so lifeless and dull. There truly wasn’t much he wanted. “I don’t think packing is going to take very long. I really don’t need most of this stuff. I’ll just let all of the furniture stay with the apartment. No sense in shipping it to Gold Coast when our place already has nice furniture.”

“Okay. Well let’s start with things you do want.”

“Well, most of the things I want are in my room. Actually, they’re already in a box in the closet.” Josh went inside his room and came out with medium sized black box.

Anna was intrigued. “May I look inside?”

“Of course you can. I have no secrets from you.”

Anna lifted the lid and peered inside. There were lots of little odd and end things. A baseball, a 1st place science fair ribbon from Einstein Middle School, a script from _Crooked Hearts_ , a picture of him and his parents when he was a child, and Bee Gees tickets. Digging deeper into the box, something caught Anna’s eye. It was a small wooden chest with a little latch on the front. She took it out and set it on the table, looking at Josh sitting on the stool next to her. He was gazing at her with that adorable crooked smile. When she opened the box, she saw them. Not just pictures of them, but mementos from things they’d done together. Numerous concert and movie tickets, a little plastic bear from the time they went to the zoo, 2 connected blue and green seashells they found in Hawaii that reminded them of themselves, a keychain from Whistler Blackcomb the first time he took her skiing, a pen that said “Lombardi’s Pizza” which was their favorite restaurant in NYC, and a snow globe of the Space Needle from that special night in Seattle.

“Joshua, this is us. You kept all of it,” Anna stated, matter-of-factly. She couldn’t believe he had all of these keepsakes in a special chest.

“Of course I did. These are all reminders of the very best days of my life. They were all spent with you. I’ve told you before Anna, I’ve loved you for a very long time.”

Anna felt the tears begin to roll down her cheeks. Her heart was touched. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. “I love you. I love you so much,” she whispered against his neck.

Josh returned the hug with equal force. They simply held each other for a few minutes, not wanting these wonderful feelings to ever go away. Releasing him from their embrace and wiping her eyes, Anna said: “So, is this really all you want to bring? This and clothes?”

“Yeah. I don’t need anything else, Anna. The rest of these things are just…things. They have no meaning to me anymore. I want to start a new life without the things that remind me of my days without you. My heart feels heavy just being in this apartment.”

Anna smiled at him and brought her hand to his cheek. “Just remember that we will have our own home in less than two weeks. Together. Just you and me.” Anna kissed him softly on the lips. “Joshua, why don’t we get ready for the day and get out of here for a while? We could go visit your mom; I’m dying to see her.”

Josh hadn’t talked to his mom, Fiona, since a week before he left for Australia. He was sure she was worried about him, but she usually refrained from calling since she knew Josh could take care of himself. She had no idea that he’d left the country or that he and Anna were now a couple. There was no denying she’d be ecstatic about it though; she loved Anna more than she loved him. Fiona never adored Diane the way she adored Anna. She always believed Diane would never be able to commit to anyone, which made Fiona a little weary of her. In the end, his mother had been right, like usual.

“That sounds great. I haven’t seen or talked to her since before I hopped on the plane to see you.”

“What do you think she’ll say about… us?”

“Honey, she adores you. She will be thrilled and so will the rest of my family. They all love you almost as much as I do.” Josh stood up from the stool and reached his hand out for hers. “Shower?”

“Together?” Anna grinned.

“Oh yes. Definitely together.”

Josh pulled her up from where she was sitting and led her to his bathroom. He set the water to a few degrees below scalding—just the way Anna liked it. As the steam started to fill the room, Josh removed her T-shirt, revealing Anna’s nude body, except for her panties.

“Nice choice in shirts, by the way,” Anna laughed.

“I thought you’d like that.”

Josh put his hands on her hips, and crouched down so he was inches away from her belly button. He brought his lips to her navel and kissed it as he removed her last undergarment. Her body never failed to leave him breathless. The steam made her skin luminous and dewy, making him want to kiss every single inch of it. He ran his fingers up along her sides as he stood up and took her face in his hands.

“It’s my turn now,” She whispered against his lips. Anna got down on her knees and slowly brought his boxers down to his ankles. Before she stood up, she ran her hand down his length gently, making him sigh in content.

“At the rate we’re going, I don’t know if we’re going to get out of the house today,” Josh murmured.

Anna giggled, “Then I guess we’d better take separate showers.”

“No way. That’s not gonna happen.” With that, he took her hand and led her into the large, stone shower. The hot water felt amazing on their bodies after their long 36 hours of plane riding. As Anna looked around the shower, she noticed her body wash, shampoo, and conditioner were all on a shelf. Josh must’ve brought them in when she was asleep. Why was he always so sweet? Pulling the shampoo from the shelf, she handed it to Josh. He loved to wash her hair, and she loved the way he massaged her scalp as he lathered it in. As Joshed started on her hair, Anna reflected on her life. Showers had a strange way of provoking a person’s deepest thoughts. She compared the times in her life before she knew Josh and after she had met him. Before, she had been all over the place. Not just location wise, but her thoughts as well. She didn’t know what she wanted or who she was. But after her first season on Fringe, Anna finally felt like she belonged somewhere. She had always thought that it was the show itself that made her feel that way, but now she knew it was Josh. He had given her a home and brought out the best in her—the real her. She never had to pretend she was something she wasn’t around him. Josh had saved her from herself. He had given her so much strength and confidence, and he continued to give her more each and every day. She was more thankful for him than he would ever know.

Carefully rinsing the shampoo out of Anna’s hair, Josh couldn’t wipe the smile from his face. He could always tell when she was in deep thought by the way her forehead wrinkled slightly. He wondered what she was thinking about but didn’t want to interrupt her thoughts. He grabbed her conditioner, squeezed some onto his hands, and ran it through her silky strands. He’d always thought she had the most beautiful hair he had ever seen. Before they were a couple, he had to refrain himself from reaching out and touching it all the time. Now, he could touch it whenever he wanted. He could touch her whenever he wanted. There was no better feeling in the world than knowing the person you loved more than anything loved you back with equal intensity. He and Anna were perfect for each other—a match made in Heaven. They had that rare relationship that most people spend their entire lives trying to find. As Josh rinsed the conditioner out of Anna’s hair, his thoughts drifted to a subject he had been thinking a lot about lately: Marriage. He and Anna both knew they would get married someday. Not just because of Anna’s dream, but also because of everything he had been thinking about in the last couple of minutes. They were made for each other. The only thing that flustered Josh was the proposal. He wanted it to be extra special for her but wasn’t sure how or when to do it. He had absolutely no clue where to go when it came to rings, either. Maybe he could talk to his mother about it today; he just had to find a way to talk to her alone.

Breaking from his deep thoughts, Josh grabbed Anna’s body wash and lathered it in his hands until they were sudsy. This was his absolute favorite part of taking a shower with her. He smoothed his hands along her back and shoulders and felt Anna jump—she must’ve been in deeper thought than he’d imagined. Josh pulled her against him and brought his hands around to wash her front. He caressed her neck, breasts, and stomach making sure to spread the soap around every inch of her. Languidly, Josh moved his hand in between her legs. Anna threw her head back and gave a soft whimper of satisfaction. He continued massaging her most sensitive part for a little longer, and then brought his hands to her bottom and back up to her shoulders. Before Josh could move her under the water to rinse off, Anna turned around and swathed her arms around his neck. She tilted her head and kissed him, rubbing her soapy body all over his chest and stomach. The steam from the shower swirled around them like a magical smoke, engulfing them in a hot fervor and igniting all of their senses. Breaking their kiss, Anna reached behind her for his shampoo, and rubbed it around in his thick hair. He crouched down so she wouldn’t have to reach so high and found his face inches away from her breasts. He just couldn’t resist. Josh moved her under the hot water to rinse her off, bringing his mouth to her breast. Anna held his head there with both of her hands and began to breathe heavily. Her hips bucked against his, making his manhood grow with want. Needing to feel his mouth on hers again, Anna pulled his head up until their lips meet. They kissed avidly under the hot water for a minute before Josh forced himself to break it off.

“What’s wrong?” Anna asked in a confused tone.

Josh didn’t want to spoil the mood, but it was better to be safe than sorry. “I didn’t bring any protection with me into the bathroom. I wasn’t planning on this. I’m sorry, A.”

Anna kissed him softly one more time. “It’s okay, Joshua. I’m glad you stopped us before we went too far.” She reached down and turned the water off. “Otherwise we probably wouldn’t have left the apartment all day,” she giggled.

That much was certainly true. Usually when they had sex they ended up doing it multiple times in a row. Josh opened the clear, glass door and grabbed 3 towels off of their hooks; 1 for him and 2 for Anna. As they dried themselves off, Josh decided to ask a question.

“So, what were you thinking about so deeply in the shower?” He asked.

“You. What were you thinking about?”

“You.”

Both of them had pleased grins on their faces the entire time they were getting ready.

 

**_Chapter 35_ **

            As Josh pulled up to his mother’s home, he felt a quick pang of guilt. He really should have called her at least once this past month. He knew she still worried about him even though she pretended she didn’t. Stepping out of the car, he went around to the passenger side and opened Anna’s door for her.

            “And who said chivalry was dead?” Anna laughed, taking his hand as he helped her out.

            “I have no idea, because chivalry is my middle name. I also have to look good in front of my mom in case she’s watching.”

            “Now that sounds much more like the Joshua Jackson that I know and love.”

            Hand in hand, Josh and Anna walked towards the front door of the elegant, French-colonial-style home. He knocked on the door and heard his mother yell “coming!” from somewhere inside the house. As she opened the door, her mouth fell open in shock.

            “Joshua? Anna? What are you two doing here?” Fiona exclaimed as she gathered them both in a tight hug. “I thought you were Aisleagh! What a great surprise! Come in, come in!”

            Still holding hands, they stepped through the threshold and headed into the living room. Fiona followed behind them, keenly observing this obvious new change in relationship between them. Anna and Josh took a seat on the leather couch and Fiona sat across from them in a cherry oak rocking chair.

            “It’s great to see you, ma. I’m really sorry I haven’t called or stopped by in a while. I guess you could say I’ve been out of town,” Josh admitted, smiling at Anna as he said his last few words.

            “No worries, Joshua. I know how busy your schedule can get,” Fiona said, still eying Anna’s hand in Josh’s. “So, do you two have something to tell me before I jump to conclusions?”

Josh chuckled and looked at Anna. “Yes, we do. We have officially been a couple for a little over a month. I have actually been in Australia for the last five weeks.”

A huge smile spread over Fiona’s face. “Oh, I am so happy for you two! I can’t believe this is finally happening after all of these years!” She clapped her hands and pulled out her cell phone. “I have to call Aisleagh and tell her the news. She will be so excited!”

As Fiona gushed over the news of Josh and Anna finally being a couple, Anna stood up and looked around the living room. She had been here countless times and never got tired of it. She loved seeing all the pictures of Josh when he was little; He was such a precious little boy.

“Anna, honey, come here and let me get a better look at you. I haven’t seen you in months!” Fiona claimed, clearly done with her conversation with Aisleagh. Anna walked over and wrapped her arms around her.

“I’m so glad that I got to come see you, Fiona. I’ve really missed you.” Anna said.

Fiona held Anna back at arms length and gave her the up-down, nodding in approval.

“I’ve missed you too, sweetness. You look absolutely fantastic, too. I’ve never seen you radiate like this. Could it be my son’s fault?” Fiona asked playfully.

Anna giggled. She loved Fiona’s bold sense of humor. “Actually, yes. I’ve never been this happy in my entire life and it’s all because of your son.”

Fiona rested her hand on Anna’s cheek and smiled warmly. “I really am so happy for you two. I just know you will have a wonderful life together.”

Josh was still sitting on the couch watching two of his favorite women in the entire world, when he heard the front door open and close. A few seconds later, in walked his other favorite woman in the world, his baby sister, Aisleagh.

“Is what I am hearing about you two FINALLY being a couple true? PLEASE tell me it’s true!” Aisleagh exclaimed. Anna beamed and ran over to Aisleagh, nearly knocking her to the ground with her embrace. The two had gotten pretty close over the last several years. “So you’re not just messing with me right, Anna? This is for real?”

“Yes, it’s for real,” Anna reassured.

Aisleagh squealed and hugged Anna again. Josh continued to sit on the couch, a little overwhelmed with all of the extreme emotions going on. Letting go of Anna, Aisleagh ran over to where Josh was sitting and jumped on his lap.

“Way to go, big brother. No idea how a big lug like you scored the hottest woman around!”

Josh laughed and tussled Aisleagh’s hair. “I wonder that same thing everyday. It’s great to see you, Ash.”

Aisleagh hugged her brother tightly. “It’s great to see you, too. How was Australia? Ma told me that’s where you’ve been the last month?”

“It’s wonderful there. The weather is always beautiful and everywhere you go there’s a beach.” Guiding his sister off his lap, Josh stood up and walked over to Anna, taking her hand in his. “Actually, there is something else I haven’t told you guys yet,” Josh said as he cleared his throat and took a breath. “I am moving to Australia with Anna. We came to Vancouver to get some of my things and we are heading back the day after tomorrow. We’re moving into our new apartment in less than 2 weeks.”

Both Aisleagh and Fiona were quiet. Then Fiona walked over to them and put a hand on each of their shoulders.

            “Like I said before, I am elated for you two. If that’s what you want, then go for it. But you better know that I will be visiting often—especially when I get some grandchildren!”

            “I’ll be coming with ma every single time she comes and visits you… as long as she pays for my ticket!” Aisleagh added.

            Everyone laughed.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter 36_ **

Anna, Josh, and Aisleagh stayed at Fiona’s home all day and into the evening. Fiona had left the group a few minutes ago to start on dinner, and Anna and Aisleagh were in deep conversation. Josh decided now was a perfect time to ask his mom about the whole marriage thing. He found her in the kitchen chopping red peppers.

“Hey ma, could I talk to you about something?”

“Of course, Joshua. You can talk to me about anything.”

Josh looked behind him to make sure Anna was still in the living room. She was sitting on the couch with his sister, curled over in laugher. He smiled at the sight.

“I want to ask her to marry me.”

Fiona abruptly stopped chopping peppers and turned around. She was smiling, which Josh took as a good sign. “Oh, Joshua. I’m so glad you are talking to me about this. When do you want to ask her?”

“Well, it’s not so much of ‘when’ as ‘how.’ I just want my proposal to her to be perfect. I never want her to forget it.”

“Honey, I don’t think she’s ever going to forget it no matter where or how or when you ask her.”

“I want it to be special, though. I want her to see how much I love her.”

Fiona thought for a moment. “When was the first time you realized you were in love with her?”

“I’m almost 100% certain I’ve been in love with her since the first moment I laid eyes on her. But I guess the moment I actually realized it was when we went down to Seattle 3 years ago.” Josh’s eyes started to widen only seconds after the words came out. “Oh my God, Seattle. The top of the space needle; It’s perfect. Thank you so much, ma.”

“Anytime sweetie. So, have you gotten a ring picked out yet?”

“Uhh, I’m sort of having problems with that too.”

“Hey, it’s alright. That just means that you’re putting a lot of thought into this, which is what you should do. Besides, you don’t need to go ring shopping.”

“What? I don’t? Why?”

“Come with me.”

Fiona led Josh up the stairs and into her room. She walked over to an old, wooden jewelry box and opened it. She pulled out a small gold box and opened it very carefully. Inside was the most unique diamond ring he’d ever seen. It was gold with a square piece containing one large diamond with 4 smaller diamonds surrounding it. More little diamonds lined the band of the ring, making it sparkle in a way that reminded him of starlight.

“This was your grandmother’s. She told me to give it to my first-born child for their wedding. Since my first-born is you, the ring should be given to the love of your life. Then it can be passed down to your first-born.”

Josh was speechless. He had never known his mother had kept this ring for him for so many years. This was the most special and sacred gift she had ever given him. Taking the box from her hands, he gently ran his finger around the ring. Carefully, he closed the box and put it in his zip-up jacket pocket for safe-keeping

“I really don’t know what to say, ma. It’s perfect. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me. Anna is the only person in the world I would ever want to give this ring to.”

“I know she is, honey. That’s why I’m giving it to you now. There is no other woman in this world I’d rather have as a daughter-in-law than Anna. I am so happy for you.”

Josh wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her tightly. She smelled like cinnamon and apples, just like she had his entire life. He honestly didn’t know what he would’ve ever done without her. She was the rock in his life.

“I promise that we will come visit you, and you can come visit us any time you want to. I love you, ma,” Josh said against her neck.

“I love you to, Joshua.”

They hugged for a minute longer and then Fiona pulled back. “We’d better head back downstairs before the girls start to wonder.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Josh agreed. As they started to head back to the kitchen, Josh stopped Fiona before they got to the stairs. “I’m going to ask her to marry me tomorrow. I’m going to take her up to Seattle for the day and then propose to her at the top of the Space Needle when it gets dark.”

“I think that sounds like a night neither of you will soon forget,” Fiona commented.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

 

**_Chapter 37_ **

            After eating dinner and saying their goodbyes, Anna and Josh headed back to his apartment. On the way there, he kept his eyes on the road and didn’t make a sound. Anna wondered why he was so quiet; he had been for most of the night.

            “Joshua?” She said cautiously.

            “Yeah?” He replied.

            “How come you are being so quiet? Is everything okay?”

            Josh took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Yes, everything is perfect. I was just thinking about the amazing day I am planning for us tomorrow.”

            Anna was intrigued. “What are we going to do?”

            “It’s a surprise.”

            Now she was even more intrigued. She loved when he planned special things for the two of them. It showed how much he truly cared about their relationship.

            When they arrived at the apartment, it was only about 8:00 PM, but Anna was exhausted. She was tired a lot lately, she’d noticed. She blamed it on all of the fun she’d been having with Josh, so being tired was a small price to pay if it meant spending time with him. Kicking off her shoes, she headed towards the couch and lied down on it. She had been on this couch thousands of times and had even slept on it once.

            “Hey Joshua, do you remember the time I drank too much after our last day of filming season 3?” Anna giggled.

            Josh walked over to the couch. Anna lifted her head up so he could take a seat, then put it back down on his lap.

“Of course I remember that. How could I forget? I’m actually surprised you remember, considering how much you drank that night,” Josh quipped, an amused smile on his face. Anna hardly ever drank, and had only ever been drunk a few times.

“I actually don’t remember too much. I just remember waking up on this couch with a massive hangover.”

“Well I know you didn’t plan on getting drunk that night; it just kind of happened. You, Seth, and I were playing this stupid drinking game out on Wyman’s porch. You were really bad at it,” Josh chuckled. “You ended up taking shot after shot until you were too drunk to walk straight.”

“The last thing I remember is laughing at some joke Seth told. After that, everything is kind of a blur. I can’t believe I’ve never asked you about that night until now.”

“Well, once I realized how out of it you were, I wasn’t about to let you go home alone. I called a cab and took you home with me. I actually had to carry you most of the way because you couldn’t stand. I felt so horrible for letting you drink that much.”

“It wasn’t your fault. I knew I should’ve stopped long before I did.”

“Yeah, but I still felt bad. I knew you’d already had too much, but we still kept playing the game. You got pretty sick that night after I took you to my place.”

“I did? Oh God, you didn’t have to hold my hair back as I threw up, did you?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t that bad. It only lasted for about 15 minutes. Then I cleaned you up and made a bed for you on the couch. I was going to put you in my bed, but I wanted to be able to keep an eye on you all night. That’s why I slept on the other couch. Well, I didn’t really sleep, but you know what I mean.”

“Joshua I am so sorry. That must’ve been horrible. I’m never getting drunk again.”

“To be honest, I didn’t mind at all. I enjoyed the fact that I got to take care of you when you couldn’t take care of yourself. It made me want to take care of you always.”

“I’m so lucky to have you,” she said, reaching up to give him a quick kiss. “I didn’t say anything embarrassing, did I?”

“Nah. Just that you were in love with me.”

“What? Did I really say that?”

“Yep. As I was laying you down on the couch, you put your hand on my cheek and told me you were in love with me.”

Anna was shocked. “How come you never told me this before?”

“You never asked.”

“Well… what did you do?”

“I kissed your forehead, covered you up, and sat on the other couch to keep an eye on you. It only took you about a minute to fall asleep. I really wanted to tell you I loved you back, but I knew it wasn’t the right time.”

It was so strange being told something about yourself that you’d never known. She felt like she had a type of long-term memory loss.

“Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed, honey. Hearing you say that, even if you weren’t exactly composed, made me happier than you’ll ever know.”

“I’m not embarrassed. I was in love with you. I just wish you‘d told me sooner. Maybe we could’ve had what we are having right now years ago.”

“I wish I’d told you sooner, too. I was just scared of what might happen. If only I’d known then what I know now; If only I’d known how beautiful we’d be together.”

Anna felt a little guilty for making him feel bad. She knew it wasn’t just his fault that they’d avoided their feelings for each other for so long. She’d had just as many opportunities as he did to tell him how she felt. Besides, he was hers now and that’s all she cared about.

“Well, there really is no sense in dwelling on the past. All that matters is that we’re together now. We have our whole lives ahead of us, Joshua,” Anna reassured. She moved up on the couch so she was sitting on his lap and curled up into his chest. Josh rested his chin on the top of her head and stroked her soft hair. He heard her yawn against him.

“Let’s get to bed, baby. We’re going to need a good night’s sleep for our day tomorrow,” Josh said.

“Okay,” was all Anna could muster. She was literally drained of every single molecule of energy in her body. Sensing her exhaustion, Josh stood up with her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He put her into one of his t-shirts and stripped down to his boxers. They got underneath the large comforter and cuddled up against each other, falling asleep within the minute.

 

**_Chapter 38_ **

Josh woke up at 5:14 AM. His usual self would’ve gone back to sleep immediately, but today that was just an impossibility. Today was the day he was going to ask Anna to marry him. He was filled with excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and many other emotions that he couldn’t even name. Being careful not to wake Anna, Josh slowly made his way out of the bed. He wanted to start planning the day as soon as he could—he wanted this to be absolutely perfect. After he showered and got ready, he called Four Seasons Hotel and made a reservation for that night. Then he made a list of all of their favorite places in Seattle and even researched some new ones that they might enjoy. After doing that for about half an hour, Josh went to his jacket that was hanging up in the entryway. He reached in the pocket and enclosed his hand around the box that contained his grandmother’s precious ring. Taking the box out, he looked behind him to make sure Anna wasn’t there, and opened it. The ring was even more beautiful than he remembered. It was the perfect ring for the perfect woman—he couldn’t wait to give it to her. Josh closed the box and put it carefully inside his jacket pocket and zipped it shut. He decided he should wake Anna up so they could get started on the day. It was a 2 ½ hour drive to Seattle and he wanted to make sure they had plenty of time to mess around. Peeking inside the bedroom, he found Anna curled up in the middle of the bed sound asleep. He hated to wake her peaceful slumber. Gently, he smoothed the hair off of her forehead and leaned down to kiss it. He continued to give her light kisses all over her face until she stirred and yawned.

“Good morning beautiful,” Josh said sweetly.

Anna opened her eyes to the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Best of all, he was her gorgeous man. A smile spread across her face.

“Good morning,” She replied, yawning again. She looked at the clock and saw that it was only 6:24AM. “Why are we awake so early?”

“Because we need to get started on our day, of course.” He leaned down and kissed her lips, and she realized he had already showered and dressed.

“How early did you get up?”

“At about 5. I decided to let you sleep in a little bit.”

Although Anna was still a little tired, she could sense the excitement radiating from him. She couldn’t help but be excited, too.

“Thank you. I’ll hop in the shower.”

“Okay. I’ll make breakfast.”

As Josh left the room, Anna got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. As she reached the doorway, she began to feel the same nauseas feeling she had experienced the morning before. She slowly walked into the bathroom and sat on the toilet with her head in her hands. She couldn’t be starving—she’d had a huge dinner only 12 hours ago. As the nausea started to escalate, she hurriedly got down on the tile floor and lifted the toilet lid. In a matter of seconds, she was vomiting out all of her stomach contents. When she finally stopped, she felt so light-headed that she thought she might pass out. She leaned against the toilet for a couple of minutes and slowly but surely started to feel better. After a few more minutes, she got the strength to stand up. She leisurely walked towards the door and looked out to see Josh cooking breakfast, happy as could be. Anna was so thankful he didn’t hear her; she didn’t want to ruin this day. She knew that if he thought she was sick that he’d cancel all of their plans in a heartbeat. Besides, she was feeling much better than she had several minutes ago. Anna thought that it was probably just the time and altitude change messing with her body. She reached into the shower to turn on the water, undressed, and stepped into it the hot stream. The water felt heavenly against her skin. As she cleansed herself, she heard horrible singing coming from the kitchen and laughed. It was going to be a good day.

 

**_Chapter 39_ **

            “Alright, I think we are all set! Let’s hit the road,” Josh said as he buckled his seatbelt.

            “Will you please tell me where we are going now? Please?” Anna begged

            “Let’s see if you can guess.”

            “Umm… Stanley Park?”

            “Nope”

            “Canadian Rockies?”

            “Nope. Think Portage Bay Café, Pike Place Market…”

            “Oh my God. Seattle? We’re going to Seattle?”

            “Ding ding ding, we have a winner! I thought we should do something fun before we left tomorrow evening.”

            Anna clapped her hands and squealed like a little girl. “I am so excited! I love Seattle! Thank you so much, Joshua!” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

            “You’re welcome, sunshine. I knew this would make you happy.”

            “Well, you were right.” Anna couldn’t stop beaming. There was just something about Seattle that she loved. Not to mention how much fun she’d had last time she’d been there. It was probably the closest thing to a first date that her and Josh ever had.

            As they drove, they talked and sang along to the radio. It seemed like only a few minutes had gone by when they pulled into Seattle. Strange how even the most boring of things can be fun when you do them with someone you love. Before they started on their day, Josh drove to the hotel so they could get checked in. He was glad that it was within walking distance of downtown so they wouldn’t have to attempt to find a parking space.

            “Are we staying here tonight?” Anna asked incredulously. Four Seasons was one of the nicest hotels in Seattle.

            “Yep. And don’t worry I packed you a bag. We’ve never stayed in a hotel together before, so I thought I’d make the first time one to remember.” In all actuality, he just wanted every single aspect of this day to be perfect and unforgettable.

            “Wow. You are really outdoing yourself here, Mr. Jackson. Any more surprises I should be aware about?”

            “I guess you will just have to wait and see.”

            After they checked in and brought their bags up to the room, which was absolutely incredible, they headed downtown. The first stop on Josh’s list was Macrina Bakery and Café. It was a little past 10:00, and they served the best brunch around.

            “Oh, I remember this place!” Anna exclaimed as they walked in, hand in hand. “They have those orange cinnamon roles that are to die for. Good thing I am starving.”

             “I remembered how much you loved those, so I made sure we stopped here first. It’s the perfect time of day for cinnamon rolls, if I do say so myself.”

            Anna and Josh sat down at a small table by the window. The city was just starting to get busy, which meant the fun was about to start. It only took a few moments for the waitress to come and take their orders and only a few more minutes for their food to come. Josh had forgotten how fast their service was. He watched Anna take a bite into the huge, gooey cinnamon roll, and laughed as she closed her eyes and let out a loud “Mmmm.”

            After she swallowed, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Hey, don’t laugh at me. I am going to enjoy this and I don’t want to hear a sound from you.”

            Josh put his hands up in surrender. “Yes, ma’am. Not another peep from me.”

            Even though the rolls were large, it didn’t take either of them long to finish. They were absolutely stuffed by the time they were done.

            “I feel like I’m going to explode, but it’s oh so worth it,” Anna said with her hands on her stomach.

            “Agreed.” Josh noticed she had a little bit of orange glaze on her upper lip, and smiled. “Are you saving some for later?”

            “What? Do I have some on my face? Where?”

            “Right here.” Josh leaned in and kissed her, licking the glaze off her lip.

             “Hey, what if I wanted that?” Anna giggled.

            “Sorry. It just looked extra delicious. I couldn’t resist.”

            “Maybe I should get some orange cinnamon flavored lip-gloss.”

            “Honey, that might be the best idea you’ve ever had. Just prepare yourself for non-stop kisses from yours truly.”

            “Sounds great to me,” Anna flirted.

            Josh grinned and kissed her again. “So, are you ready for the next stop on our adventure?”

            “More than ready!”

            Josh left a $20 bill on their table and they headed out into the cool Seattle morning. As they walked along, Anna looked down and realized they were holding hands. She didn’t even recall it happening—it was just an automatic thing between the two of them now, and she absolutely loved it. Before long, Josh turned a corner and led them to what could only be Pike Place Market. Last time they were here, they didn’t get to spend much time exploring. Now they had all day.

            “Oh my gosh I forgot how huge it is. Where should we start?” Anna asked.

            “Well, how about we just start right here and work our way around?” Josh replied.

            “Sounds perfect,” Anna said as she looked around for a store to start with. “Oh! How about we start with The Studio? I remember wanting to go there last time we were here.”

            “Sure. Looks interesting.”

             They walked towards the entrance of the gallery and began observing all of the abstract mixed media paintings covering the walls. They were absolutely fantastic. As they walked, Josh thought he heard whispers coming from behind them. Turning around, he saw a bunch of girls staring at them with cheesy grins on their faces.

            “Oh my God you’re Josh Jackson. We are HUGE Dawson’s Creek fans. Could we have your autograph?” One of the girls said frantically. It had been months since Josh was approached by a fan—and even longer since that fan knew him solely for his role as Pacey. It made him happy that people still remembered his favorite character that he’d ever played.

            “Of course you guys can. It’s great to meet you all, too. Thanks for the support,” Josh commented, signing various objects for the girls. They beamed excitedly and ran out of the gallery. Girls were the absolute best fans. When he walked back over to Anna, she was standing there with an amused look on her face.

            “What’s that look for?” He asked.

            “Oh nothing…’Pacey’,” She said, stifling a giggle.

            “Hey now, Pacey is a legend. Don’t even get me started ‘Nikki’… or should I say ‘Alex’ or maybe ‘Virginia’?” Josh said mischievously.

            Anna punched him playfully and laughed. He smiled and grabbed her hand as they continued to walk through the gallery. When they were finished looking at all of the art, they decided to move on. The second they walked out the door they were bombarded with flashes and a cacophony of voices yelling their names. The paparazzi. The girls must’ve let the word slip that he was inside—little did they know Anna Torv was there with him. Still holding hands, they pushed through the cameras and walked into a random store selling homemade candles. Luckily, Josh spotted an alternate exit in the back of the building and led Anna towards it. They ended op on the opposite side of the street and thankfully spotted no paparazzi.

            “Well, I guess the word’s officially out that we’re together. I wonder what the headlines are going to be,” Josh joked.

            “Probably something ridiculous, like they always are. I have a feeling we are going to get a lot of shocked calls from the friends we haven’t told yet,” Anna stated.

            “I’m sure you’re right. Have you told anyone yet?”

            “Nope. Have you?”

            “Nada. Yeah, we better turn our phones off or they might explode.” He laughed and put his arm around her waist, walking towards another shop.

            “Turning mine off now.”

 

**_Chapter 40_ **

            The rest of the day they fortunately didn’t run into any more paparazzi. They spent hours at Pike’s Place exploring its bountiful shops and markets. They also stopped at a few more small shops around town, finding something unique and different at every one. At about 4:00 PM, they decided to move on. Josh led the way to a gorgeous park that Anna had never seen before. It was abundant in colorful flowers, ponds, and an endless green terrain. There were myriad pathways and bridges paved in various stones. The beauty took Anna aback. He led her to a small bench under a Japanese cherry blossom tree and sat down. She snuggled up close to him and stared at the marvelous scene in front of her. She felt like she was in a magical fairytale.

            “This is amazing, Joshua. I’ve never seen anything like it. I didn’t even know trees and flowers like this existed,” Anna admitted.

            “It is beautiful, isn’t it? It’s called the Japanese Garden,” Josh said. He looked up at the tree above them. “My favorite part is the cherry blossoms. In the Japanese culture, they’re often used to symbolize how short, yet beautiful, life can be. They are held to the highest esteem, and the Japanese even have celebrations for their blooming seasons. For me though, these blossoms mean something else entirely. When the tree doesn’t have the cherry blossoms, it just seems naked and lonely. But then when the right season comes along, these breathtakingly beautiful flowers bloom out of this homely tree. It’s like me before I met you, Anna. I was lost and trying to find myself in all the wrong places. I was as naked and lonely as that tree. But then you came along and changed everything. You were the special season I needed to flourish. Because of you I am no longer that desolated tree—you fill my life with an abundance of beautiful cherry blossoms. Corny, huh?”

            No, not corny at all. Anna had to use all of her effort not to cry. She was blown away by his poetic diction and that alluring look in his crystal blue eyes. People just didn’t talk like that anymore. She was so grateful that she knew one person who still did—and he was all hers.

            “I love you, Joshua,” she whispered, folding him into a tight embrace.

            They sat on the bench huddled against one another and took in all of the beauty surrounding them. Not just the garden, but also the beauty of their love for each other. Love just made everything more vibrant and alive. As the time came closer to take Anna to the Space Needle, Josh expected that he’d be nervous. Yet, when he looked down at her, he wasn’t nervous in the slightest. Actuality, he was tempted to propose to her now. She looked more stunning than ever in this picturesque garden, the descending sun shining on her face making it glow like polished ivory. He wanted her to be his forever.

            Breaking their long silence, Josh asked, “Are you ready for the last stop on our adventure?”

            Anna looked up at him with glimmering emerald eyes, “Yes, I am.”

            As they headed out of the garden, Anna stopped to take one last look at its magnificence.

            “I will bring you back here again someday. I promise,” Joshua assured.

            Anna smiled, knowing that he never broke his promises to her, and took his arm in hers. 


	9. Chapter 9

**_Chapter 41_ **

“Reservation under ‘Jackson’,” Joshua said to the man behind the desk at the Sky City restaurant. It was located at the top of the Space Needle, rotating 360 degrees so you could look out at the city while you ate.

“Yes, right this way,” the man advised. He led them to a secluded table for two right next to the window. The sun had almost completely gone down, leaving the city with a golden luminosity. The man handed them menus and told them that their waiter would be there shortly.

Anna looked around in awe—this was undoubtedly the most divine restaurant she’d ever been to. They hadn’t eaten here last time they came.

“Joshua this is incredible. We are spinning!” She exclaimed incredulously as she looked out the window.

“I was hoping you’d like it. Their food is wonderful, too. Get anything you want,” Josh insisted.

After a while the waiter came and took their orders. The sun had now completely gone down, leaving the twinkling lights of the city blazing like fireflies in the night sky. Josh could feel the ring burning a hole in his pocket—he was so excited he could barely stand it. He really hoped Anna wouldn’t notice that he was acting strangely. She was leaning on her hand, a slight smile on her face as she took in her surroundings. Her soft hair cascaded around her face like a golden waterfall. Abruptly, her eyes met his. She had caught him staring at her.

“What?” She asked curiously.

“Nothing. Just sometimes your beauty perplexes me.”

He watched her cheeks turn the color of the cherry blossoms in the garden. Her mouth fixed into a shy, crooked grin.

“Why miss Torv, I never took you for the bashful type,” He teased.

“That’s because I’m not. Well not usually. It’s just something about today that is making me feel all giddy and capricious. Today feels different than all of the other days we’ve spent together… magical even.”

“I feel the same way,” He agreed. Little did she know it was about to get even more magical.

Just then, the waiter arrived with their food. Josh got a huge steak with steamed vegetables and a baked potato. Anna got a big bowl of chicken alfredo with a side salad. He was so glad she wasn’t afraid to eat around him. He never understood why some girls did that.

“This is amazing, “Anna said after her first few bites. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was. How is yours?”

“Mine is great, too. Want some of my potato? I know how much you love them, and this one is delicious.”

She nodded, so he took a forkful and placed it in her mouth.

“You’re right, that is delicious. Want to try some of mine?”

“You bet I do.”

Anna stuck her fork into the noodles and twirled it around so they wouldn’t fall off. As she put the fork in his mouth, some of the alfredo sauce dripped down his chin. She couldn’t help but giggle.

“Mmm. I think I will just save this for later. Unless you want to help me out like I did for you this morning at Macrina’s?” He grinned.

“Nah, I think you should just leave it. Suits you nicely,” She laughed.

Smiling, Josh took the napkin and wiped the sauce off his face. As they finished their dinners, Josh and Anna talked and laughed about everything under the moon. They didn’t even notice the waiter take their plates and leave the check.

“So, you ready to go up to the observation deck?” Josh asked after they had paid.

“Definitely!” She exclaimed excitedly.

Hand in hand, they walked up to the deck. The night was cool with a slight breeze wafting through the air. The tranquil sky shone with stars not visible from the city below. Up here, it felt as though nothing was impossible. Anna leaned over the edge of the wall and closed her eyes. The wind swirled through her hair leaving it perfectly tousled. She breathed deeply, taking in the faint scent of rain that she so rarely got to experience. There was also another scent mixed in; an intoxicating aroma that made her knees go weak and head spin with adoration. Josh. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder just like she had the first time they’d come here. She looked out at the colorful twinkling lights that seemed to go on forever in the dark abyss. Josh kissed her hair softly and took a steadying breath. This was it.

“Anna,” Josh spoke softly.

“Hmm?” She said, not taking her gaze from the enticing view. When he didn’t answer, she looked at him. His eyes were dark and deep like the ocean, blazing with an intensity she had never seen before. He gently took both of her hands in his.

“3 years ago, in this very spot, was the moment I realized I was completely and whole-heartedly in love with you. Ever since then, you have done nothing but bring more joy into my life than I ever thought was possible for someone to feel. Every time I look at you, I am in awe at how someone as wonderful as you could possibly be mine. Every day I fall for you more and more; the way you crinkle your nose when you laugh, the cadence of your voice, the perfect way your body fits with mine as we sleep, those alluring green eyes; just everything. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have never in my life loved someone as much as I love you,” Josh let go of her hands and reached into his pocket for the box holding his grandmother’s precious ring. As he got down on one knee, Anna covered her open mouth with her hands. She couldn’t move. Was this what she thought this was? “Anna Torv, I don’t want to spend even one second of my life without you ever again. Will you marry me?”

It was exactly what she thought it was. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. She was utterly in shock. Looking down at him, she knew that everything he felt for her she felt for him. She had never loved anyone the way she loved him; he was a part of her that she needed in order to survive. A beaming smile spread across Anna’s beautiful face, her eyes shining like precious gems.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Josh’s face lit up, smiling like a child on Christmas morning. He brought the ring to her finger and slid it on—a perfect fit. He stood up and took her into his arms, spinning her around and laughing with delight.

“Of course I will marry you, Joshua. Of course I will,” She cried.

He put her back on the ground and pulled her face to his, kissing her deeply. When they pulled apart, all they could do was stare at each other. People all around were watching them with big grins plastered on their faces— some were even clapping. However, Anna and Josh could only see each other, and all they could hear were their synchronized heartbeats. Josh caressed her face with his hands, unable to keep from touching her. Soon, they were kissing again, overcome with the immense love they felt for each other.

“If we could do anything right now, what would you want to do?” Josh whispered against her lips.

“Go back to the hotel room where I can have you all to myself,” she replied, kissing him again.

“Now that sounds like a great idea.” Hand in hand, they walked gaily down to the streets of Seattle. The applause from their audience trailed behind them as a sweet reminder of the unparalleled milestone that had just taken place.

 

**_Chapter 42_ **

When they got to their hotel room, they practically fell through the door in an extreme bout of passion. Josh kicked the door closed as articles of clothing went flying in every direction. Anna pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him, wearing only her bra and panties. She’d already stripped him down to his boxers and was now devouring his mouth with hers. He rubbed his hands all around her smooth back, ultimately finding her bra clasp and unhooking it. He tossed the article to the side and grabbed her face with his hands to deepen their kiss. Anna’s hands were everywhere; his hair, his face, his chest. She was driving him insane. She began to kiss her way down his body, leaving a shiny, wet trail of saliva in her path. When she reached the top of his boxers, she didn’t hesitate to rip them off. Before she could touch his manhood and send him flying over the edge, he sat up and gathered her into his arms. He took her face in his hands and looked into those eyes that made him feel like he was home.

            “I. Love. You. So. Much,” He told her, kissing her in a different spot on her face between every word. Finding her lips yet again, he pulled her down with him as they fell back onto the colossal bed. Wanting there to be nothing between them, Josh reached down and slid her panties off in one fluid motion. He held her closely against him, relishing in the feel of every hollow and curve of her perfect body. Her long hair fell all around him, sending his senses afire in every place it brushed. His thoughts became a jumbled mess as he got high on their intimacy. There were absolutely no words to describe the sensation of becoming one with the person you love.

Not breaking their kiss, Josh reached over and moved his hand around the nightstand until he found the condom he’d put there earlier. He thought it’d be smart to be prepared and he was clearly right. Coming out of the kiss, Anna took the condom from him and carefully tore it open. Josh took a deep breath to prepare himself as she slowly rolled it onto his length. Her touch was almost enough to shatter him into a million pieces. Looking into his eyes, she indolently lowered herself onto him. They both threw their heads back and moaned in unison, overwhelmed with pleasure. Anna let herself fall back on top of him, engrossing them in another mind-blowing kiss. Josh began to meet her slow thrusts with his, bringing them even higher. No longer in control of her thoughts, Anna buried her face in his neck. Small whimpers began to escape her mouth, getting louder with every bump of their hips. She found his hands and intertwined her fingers with his. The mixture of him inside her, his smell, his kiss, and the idea that he’d just proposed to her was just too much to take at once. Josh felt her walls begin to tighten against him as an intense orgasm took over her body. She cried out loudly. Hearing her immense pleasure combined with her contractions made him reach his climax only seconds later. She breathed quickly and heavily against his neck, rubbing her nose along his skin. Josh stroked her hair and planted light kisses on her forehead. He pulled his limp self out of her and moved her off of him so they could lie side by side. He wrapped her in his arms, moving his hand up to brush the hair from her flushed face.

            “Wow,” was all Anna could utter as they gazed at each other. That had been the most passionate, intense lovemaking she’d ever experienced. As she reached up to touch his handsome face, she noticed the ring on her finger. She had been so caught up in the moment with Josh that she’d forgotten to even look at it. She brought her hand close to her face and marveled at what had to be the most unique and beautiful ring she’d ever laid eyes on. She let her finger gingerly graze the precious diamonds. Looking at Josh, she had to bite her lip in order to keep her huge smile under control.

            “Joshua, this is gorgeous,” she breathed. “Where and when did you get it?”

            “I’m so happy you like it,” He admitted. “I got it from my mother when we went to her house yesterday. It was my grandmother’s.”

            Anna’s heart felt like it was about to burst. Just when she thought he couldn’t get any more wonderful, he would prove her wrong. Her mouth fell open in bewilderment as she stared at him speechlessly.

            Josh grinned at her reaction and gently kissed her nose. “I told my mom I wanted to ask you to marry me but was completely lost on how to do it. All I knew is that I wanted it to be perfect for you. So, after she helped me out a little bit, she brought me to her room and showed me that ring. She said that my grandmother had given it to her and told my mom to give it to her first-born child for their wedding. My mom had been saving it for me all of these years until I met the love of my life,” he said, kissing her lips tenderly. “And someday you can pass it along to our first-born for their wedding.”

            Once again, Josh had induced in her a blissful deluge of tears. This tiny ring had been in Josh’s family for generations and now she was going to be a part of those generations. She was going to be a Jackson. Anna Jackson. 

“Joshua, I love you,” she managed to choke out. “I wish I could tell you how much this means to me.”

“I wish I could tell you how much you mean to me.”

He kissed her slowly, deeply, until that electric current between them charged to full power. They made love again, this time even more impassioned than their first. By the time they finished, Anna had to fight to stay awake. So much had happened in this one little day; she felt like she had been awake for a week. Josh, always able to sense her every emotion, pulled her close and reached over to turn off the soft, warm light emitting from the bedside lamp. Darkness surrounded them, heightening their senses and intensifying the awareness of their adjoined bodies. Anna cuddled into Josh, resting her head on his bare chest, which was her absolute favorite place to sleep. His dulcet heartbeat comforted her and made her feel safe; it was like her own personal lullaby. Before she drifted off, she had to tell him one last thing.

“Joshua?” She whispered

“Yeah, baby?”

“Every single thing about today was perfect. I will never forget it as long as I live.”

He smiled against her hair. Hearing her say that meant so much to him. He’d tried indefinitely to make sure everything about this day was perfect for her.

“It was perfect for me, too, considering I got you to agree to be my wife.” He kissed her head and sighed in content. “Goodnight my Anna girl.”

 

**_Chapter 43_ **

            At 7:17AM, Anna woke to the now horribly familiar malaise feeling. She jumped out of bed, barely making it to the toilet before the vomiting began. Okay, maybe this was more than just adapting to a different country. It wasn’t long before Josh was at her side, holding her hair back. When she was done, she leaned back against his chest. He always had a miraculous effect on her overall being; just being close to him made her feel much better.

            “Oh honey, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. How are you feeling now?” He asked with concern, pulling her as close to him as she could get.

            “I’m better now that you’re here. I think I may have caught a little bug or something.”

            “Are you sure you’re up for a long plane ride tonight? We can always get tickets for tomorrow or even the next day. I don’t want you to be miserable plus stuck on a tiny plane.” Josh grabbed a soft washcloth from the counter and wetted it with warm water. Gently, he began to cleanse her mouth of the sickness. This man was too good to be true.

            “I’ll be okay,” she said, nestling her face in his shoulder. “I just want us to be home.”

            “Me too. Do you think you can stand?”

            “Yeah.”

            Cautiously, Josh helped her get to her feet. She felt a little light-headed but otherwise stable. He guided her to the bed and helped her into it, covering up her nude form.

            “Do you think you could eat something?” He questioned.

            “Probably. I think it would be best for me to have something in my stomach.”

            “I agree. I’m going to go downstairs and get you something,” He insisted, kissing her forehead sweetly. “I’ll be right back okay? Just relax.”

            “Thank you.”

            After he dressed and walked out the door, Anna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It felt wonderful to be taken care of, especially when she wasn’t feeling well. Reaching for the TV remote, she heard a soft ‘clink’ of something hard against plastic. Her engagement ring. A huge smile formed on her face as she brought it closer to her face. It was even more beautiful than she remembered. Anna still couldn’t believe that her and Josh were getting married; it was literally a dream come true. A part of her wanted to just drive to Las Vegas and get married now, but she knew all of their family and friends would want to be there. Did she want an outside wedding? Should there be lots of people or very few? What season should they have it in? There were a million questions running through her mind all at once, making her even more excited. One thing she knew for sure is that no matter what their wedding looked like, when it was, or who showed up, it would undoubtedly be the happiest day of her life.

            Snapping her out of her pleasant thoughts, Joshua came in the door with a tray abundant with food.

            “I wasn’t sure what you were in the mood for, so I grabbed everything,” He explained.

            She couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re incredible. Do you know that?”

            He smiled and set the tray down on the bedside table. “Yeah, I get told that at least once a day.”

            Anna laughed again and reached up to kiss his cheek. Oh, how she loved this man. Her stomach let out a loud growl as the delicious smells began to waft towards her nose.

            “Yep, I am definitely hungry. Let’s see what we have here,” Anna observed.

            There were various muffins, cereal, fruit, croissants, and a plate of scrambled eggs. When as she laid eyes on the eggs, she felt like she was going to be sick again. She covered her mouth and gagged. Josh took the plate of food away from her, and began to help her out of bed to go to the bathroom.

            “No, no I’m okay. It was just the site of the eggs that made me sick. It’s strange because I usually love eggs,” She acknowledged. As she spoke Josh held her face, wearing a deep look of concern.

            “Is there something that does look good? Or maybe something that sounds good we can go and get?” He asked.

            She thought for a moment. “Is there anything with peanut butter on that tray? I’m really craving it right now.”

            “There’s a peanut butter chocolate chip muffin. Does that sound good?”

            “Yes, that sounds wonderful.”

            Josh plucked the muffin from the tray and handed it to her. As she sank her teeth into the soft bread, she closed her eyes. The taste was heavenly.

            “I’m glad you are eating something,” he commented. “I’m going to get into the shower and get our things together. I want you to just sit here and rest, alright? No arguing.”

            She smiled and nodded. He reached down to kiss her lips but she stopped him.

            “I don’t want to get you sick,” She stated.

            “Honey, with all the kissing we have been doing the past few days, I would definitely be infected by now,” He laughed.

            “Better safe than sorry, right?”

            “If you insist,” He obliged, kissing her cheek instead and heading for the shower. Anna continued to eat the muffin, savoring its delicious flavor. Even though it was just an everyday, pre-packaged muffin, it tasted out-worldly to Anna. What was her issue lately? She didn’t even really like muffins—it was like eating a naked cupcake for breakfast. She took another bite of it, causing all of her thoughts to seize. She didn’t care what was wrong with her anymore—all she knew was that this tasted amazing.

            Josh stepped out of the shower and put a towel around his waist. He decided to check on Anna before he got dressed and found her exactly where he left her in the bed. She looked much better than she had 10 minutes ago—even her color had returned.

            “You look like you’re feeling better,” Josh commented.

            Anna jumped, caught off guard by his presence. “Oh Joshua you scared me. Yes, I do feel a lot better. I could really go for a shower,” She stated. “And more of those muffins. I swear that was the best thing I’ve ever tasted. I think I’m going insane.”

            Josh grinned. “Well if you do end up going insane, I will be there to make sure you take all of your medications.”

            “Funny, Mr. Jackson.”

            “I try. We will grab some more on the way out. Then you can eat them on the trip back to Vancouver. Sound good?”

            “Sounds great.”

She slid her feet around to the edge of the bed to head for the shower, and instantly felt light-headed when she stood. Josh was there at her side instantly.

            “Hey, you okay? Did you just stand up too fast?” He asked, holding her steady.

            “Yeah. I think I’m fine now.”

            “I don’t want to sound like a worried mother, but I think you should see a doctor when we get home. A check-up to make sure you just have a little bug and nothing more.”

            Anna really didn’t like going to the doctor, and Josh knew that. But she really didn’t feel like herself lately. “If it continues, I’ll make an appointment.”

            “Well, I guess that’s better than nothing then.”

            Anna smiled at him and walked into the bathroom. She turned on the water to her usual scalding temperature and stepped under the steamy stream. It was like all of the sickness was being cleansed from her body. After she finished, she opened the door to find Josh washing off his razor, cleanly shaven. He was still only wearing the towel around his waist. He turned and looked at her nude form, astonished how so much perfection could fit into such a petite person. He grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body.

            “Here, sit on this stool. Let me brush your hair,” Josh insisted.

            Anna obeyed and sat on the plush stool in front of the mirror. Grabbing her brush, he gently ran it through her wet hair. God, did it feel good to have someone else brush her long mane. After he’d gotten out all possible tangles, he tilted her head to the side and lightly began to kiss her neck. He just couldn’t resist her when her skin shone like dew at dawn and she smelled like her vanilla body wash. Josh reached his arms around to her front and pulled the towel off of her body. He started to massage her shoulders and neck, and then brought his hands back around to cup her breasts.

            Anna sucked in quickly, making a hissing sound in pain. Josh let go immediately.

            “Anna did I hurt you?” He questioned in concern.

            “It’s okay you didn’t know. They have just been a little sore lately, that’s all.”

            “I’m so sorry, A. You just aren’t having the best morning, are you?”

            Anna smiled. “Seeing this ring on my finger makes up for everything.”

            “I’m glad, because now you are officially mine. No backing out now. You’re stuck with me for good.”

            “I think I can handle that.”

            After getting ready and making a muffin stop, they were finally on the road back to Vancouver. Anna watched in the rearview mirror as the Space Needle grew smaller and smaller. Seattle would always hold a very special place in her heart.

 

**_Chapter 44_ **

It took them an extra half an hour to get back to Josh’s apartment because Anna had to use the restroom 3 times. She’d had a few glasses of orange juice that morning, but definitely not enough to have to pee every 50 minutes. Must’ve been the bumpy car ride, she’d decided.

“Well, looks like we are all packed and ready to go,” Josh said. He looked at the clock on the microwave. “We’ve still got a little over an hour to kill before we should head to the airport. You hungry?”

“Even though she’d already eaten 3 muffins, a huge lunch, and various snacks, she felt like she was starving. “Yeah, I could eat.”

“Lulu’s Lounge?”

“Oh, I forgot about that place! We used to go there for drinks during season 2 when Joel wanted us to ‘get to know each other on a more personal level,’” She laughed.

 “Yeah, too bad I was already completely in love with you. Just didn’t know it yet.”

“Likewise, Romeo,” she grinned, taking his hand in hers. “Shall we head out?”

“Please.” As they headed out the door with all of their belongings, Josh turned to look at the apartment one more time. Although he’d had many good times here, he’d spent too many sleepless and lonely nights without Anna. He was more than ready to start a wonderful new life with his soon-to-be wife.

 

**_Chapter 45_ **

            After two horribly long plane rides, waiting for luggage for an hour, and searching for Anna’s car in the parking lot, they finally made it back to Susan’s home. Even though they’d only been gone for 3 days, Joshua had really missed the woman. He’d also missed the beautiful country of Australia; it already felt more like home than Vancouver.

            “Anna! Josh! You’re back!” Susan called from the doorway. “Here, let me help you with your bags.”

            The three of them carried the luggage up to the loft and exchanged pleasantries. As much as Anna wanted to tell her mother about her and Josh’s engagement, she was completely exhausted.

            “Mum, we’ve had a long day and a half, so I think we’re going to go to bed. We will see you bright and early, though.”

            “Okay sweetheart. I’m glad you guys had a good time. It’s nice to have you back in Gold Coast for good.” She kissed her daughter’s head. “Sleep well. I love you.”

            “I love you too.”

After Susan headed back to her home, Anna practically collapsed on the bed.

            “Don’t you want to tell your mom about our engagement?” Josh questioned. He knew she was tired, but he’d figured it’d be the first thing to come out of her mouth.

            “I’ll tell her tomorrow.”

            “Oh. Okay then.”

            She looked up at him from the bed. Something about the tone in his voice just set her off. “Is that alright with you?”

            “Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

            “You sound angry.”

            “I’m not angry at all. I just assumed you’d be really excited and want to tell her straightaway.” Was she getting mad at him? She’d never been mad at him before. He wasn’t sure what to say or do.

            “Well I don’t have the energy to get excited, because unlike some people, I can’t sleep on planes!”

            She was yelling at him. Now he really didn’t know what to do. “Anna, I—”

            “And we would’ve gotten here much sooner if someone hadn’t insisted that we’d parked in section ‘L’ when we were really in ‘J.’”

            “Anna I’m sorry. I—I don’t know what to say.”

            “Just let me go to sleep.”

            “Oh…okay.”

            As she turned on the bed so she wasn’t facing him, Josh walked into the bathroom. He was literally at a loss for words. Never once in the five years he’d known Anna had she snapped at him. Not even when they didn’t sleep for days because of filming. She really wasn’t herself lately, and it was worrying him. He decided that since he was in there, he might as well wash up and get ready for bed himself. He was tired, too. After he changed down to his boxers, washed his face, and brushed his teeth, Josh quietly walked out of the bathroom so he wouldn’t wake Anna. Even though the room was dark, he could see the outline of her small form on the bed. He wasn’t sure if she even wanted him to sleep next to her or not. Cautiously, Josh slipped under the covers on the opposite side of her. He resisted the urge to put his arm around her and pull her close.

            He was half asleep when he heard his name quietly leave Anna’s lips.

            “Yeah?” He asked sleepily.

            She turned and wrapped her arms around him tightly, nestling her face into his chest. He felt wetness and knew she’d been crying.

            “I’m so sorry I snapped at you. I don’t even know why it happened. I feel so guilty. Please don’t be angry with me.”

            His heart was breaking for her. He could tell she was sincerely sorry and confused about what why she’d done it. “Oh Anna I’m not angry with you. Not at all. You haven’t slept in over 36 hours—you’re exhausted,” He whispered, kissing her head. “But now we are home in our warm bed, and you’re in my arms. Sleep now, baby.”

            “Okay,” she murmured, and snuggled closer into him. He rubbed her back until he heard the rhythmic deep breaths indicating she was asleep. Looking at her face, he noticed her forehead was crinkled as if she was in distress. This wasn’t just a lack of sleep—there was something else going on. Besides the sickness, she had been acting odd for the past couple of days. Josh kissed her troubled brow and let his hand run down her beautiful face. He vowed that if she got sick in the morning, then he was making her a doctor’s appointment whether she liked it or not. He would drag her there if he had to. 


	10. Chapter 10

**_Chapter 46_ **

Josh’s eyes fluttered open to find the beautiful Australian sun streaming in through a crack in the curtains. Anna was spooned against his body, still asleep. He found her hand and interlocked his fingers with hers gently so he wouldn’t wake her. It was when he felt her hand tighten around his that he realized she wasn’t asleep.

“Good morning,” He whispered in her ear.

She turned her body so she was facing him. Although her brow wasn’t creased, as it had been the previous night, he could tell that something still wasn’t right.

“Morning,” She responded a little despondently.

“How are you feeling?”

“Physically, I feel fine, thank goodness.” She looked at him with woeful eyes and got quieter. “But I don’t feel very well emotionally.”

“Why?”

“Because of how I treated you last night. After everything you do for me, I can’t believe I treated you like that. I would rather be throwing up than feeling like this, knowing that I hurt you.” Tears began to fall down her face—she was in her emotional mood today, Josh assumed. He took her sweet face in his hands and wiped her tears away.

 “Anna, you didn’t hurt me. I was confused, yes, but I understood that you had a long day. I can see how sorry you are in your eyes. It’s in the past now, okay? Let’s start a brand new day.”

His heart filled with happiness when he saw that brilliant smile spread across her face. “I like the idea of a brand new day. And since I don’t seem to be sick anymore, I probably wouldn’t be opposed to you kissing me,” She hinted.

Josh didn’t hesitate to pull her into a deep kiss. He had gone almost 3 days without feeling her lips on his—it had been pure torture.

“Shower?” Anna purred playfully against his lips.

That was about all Josh could take. He picked her up as she giggled and carried her to the bathroom. Maybe he wouldn’t need to make her see a doctor after all.

After they showered and got ready, Anna waited anxiously by the stairs for Josh, who was still in the bathroom. She was so excited to tell her mother about their engagement, now that she’d gotten some sleep.

“Joshua, what are you doing in there? Come on!” Anna yelled.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”

As they walked hand-in-hand to Susan’s home, Anna could feel her excitement building as they got closer. When they reached the door, Anna had to mentally compose herself so she wouldn’t burst in and start flaunting her ring.

“Mum? Are you in here?” Anna questioned.

“Yes honey, I’m in the kitchen. Come in!” Susan replied.

Anna walked into the kitchen, towing Josh behind her. She simply couldn’t keep the beaming smile off of her face.

“Mum, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Anna couldn’t hold it back anymore. She showed her mom the ring, and did a cute happy dance in place. Susan brought her hands up to her mouth and did a similar happy dance— sometimes they were so much alike that it was scary.

“Oh my gosh, is that what I think it is?” Susan practically sprinted over to grab Anna’s hand. As she observed the ring, tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh Annie, it’s beautiful. Joshua, you did an excellent job.”

“It was his grandmother’s. Fiona, Josh’s mom, passed it down to Josh, and I will pass it down to our first born for his or her wedding.”

     The tears began to fall down Susan’s cheeks. She pulled Anna into a hug, holding her precious daughter tight.

            “I am so happy for you. So happy that you finally found your true soul mate,” She looked up at Josh and opened her arm, signaling him to join the hug. “In all my years of life, I have never laid eyes on a more perfect couple than you two. I know your life together will be nothing short of beautiful.”

            Susan hugged them both a little longer, and then held them back at arms length to gaze at them proudly.

            “Now, who’s going to be the one to tell me the proposal story while I start breakfast?”

            Anna and Josh looked at each other blissfully.

            “We both will,” they said in unison.

 

**_Chapter 47_ **

            The three of them ate and talked and laughed over breakfast, just as they had for the past several weeks. Anna was going to miss this, but she was more than ready to move into their new flat in a little less than two weeks. Scooping up a forkful of French toast, Anna abruptly felt the sickness beginning to take form in the pit of her stomach.

            “Excuse me,” She blurted, hurrying to the bathroom.

            Josh knew that look. She was going to get sick. As he started to get up to help her, she turned and shook her head quickly before closing the bathroom door behind her. He felt helpless knowing she was miserable and not being able to do anything about it.

            “Josh, what’s going on?” Susan asked, obviously concerned.

            “She has been getting sick the last several days. It’s always in the mornings, too. I made her promise that if it continued she would see a doctor, so I’m going to ask her to make an appointment as soon as possible.”

            Wait. She was having morning sickness? Susan was additionally curious now.

            “Has she been sensitive to any foods?”

            “Well, yeah actually. She can’t stand coffee lately. Also, a couple mornings ago, scrambled eggs made her gag. She actually ended up eating a bunch of these peanut butter chocolate chip muffins, which she said were the most amazing things she’d ever had. She hardly even likes muffins.”

            Oh God. Susan’s heart began to beat faster as things started to click into place. She didn’t want to jump to any conclusions before she had more information, though.

            “I’m not trying to be nosy Josh, but has anything else been strange lately? I’m just worried, that’s all.”

            Josh was worried, too, and he knew that Anna told her mother everything. He knew she wouldn’t mind if he told her this.

            “Her moods have been really fluctuating recently. She usually just gets really emotional, but last night she snapped at me. Then she felt horrible about it and cried. I don’t know what to do.” Josh put his head in his hands.

            “I think if you make a doctor’s appointment, you’ll find out soon enough,” Susan responded. She was about 99.99% sure what was happening to Anna. The symptoms were a dead giveaway. The only thing that surprised Susan was that her daughter didn’t seem to know what was wrong with her. “I’ll give you the name and number of a doctor that I think will be able to tell you what’s going on.”

            Susan didn’t sound the least bit concerned, which confused Josh. Here he was freaking out, and she was writing him down a name and number with a slight smile on her face. Just then, the door to the bathroom opened slowly. Anna walked out, looking pale and absolutely wretched. Josh’s heart ripped into a million pieces. He got up and walked over to her, wrapping his arms delicately around her waist. She clung to his neck. Helping her to the couch, he laid her down and set a water bottle beside her. He then went to the kitchen to get the doctor’s information from Susan.

            “Susan, I’m going to call the doctor now,” Josh stated.

            “Don’t worry, I just did. I even told him all of her symptoms. You guys lucked out—there was a cancelling today at 1:45, so he squeezed you in. Here’s the address.”

            “Thank you so much, Susan.”

As much as she wanted to comfort and care for her daughter, she knew it was Josh’s responsibility now, and he was doing an excellent job. She handed him the piece of paper, and he ardently took it from her. Then she headed outside to do her morning chores. The appointment was in about 2 hours, which gave Josh time to talk Anna into agreeing to see the doctor.

Finding Anna exactly where he left her on the couch, he ran his hand across her damp forehead.

“Joshua this is the worst one yet,” Anna uttered.

He wished he could just take her sickness and put it on himself.

“I’m so sorry baby,” he comforted as he took her hands in his. “Your mom made you a doctor’s appointment today, and it’s in a couple hours. Please go, Anna. For me.”

As much as she didn’t want to go, she felt horrible right now. Not to mention that she’d do absolutely anything for Josh.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

“Thank you. We’re going to get this figured out, okay? Together.” With that, he moved onto the couch with her. He pulled her as close to his body as possible, and ran his fingers through her hair. He held and comforted her for a good hour until Anna sat up.

“What is it? Are you going to be sick again?” Josh asked, already preparing to help her get to the bathroom.

“No. I actually feel a lot better. I just need to use the bathroom—bad.” Anna got up and briskly walked to the bathroom. Josh sat up on the couch; he was glad that she was feeling better, but there was no way that was going to get her out of seeing the doctor.

“Do you want to eat something before we leave?” Josh asked her as she walked out of the bathroom.

“Yeah. I’ll just grab something quick.” She headed into her mother’s kitchen to search for something appealing.

Josh was surprised she didn’t try to talk her way out of going, but he guessed it must be because she legitimately wanted to know what was going on with her. He prayed they would find out.

 

**_Chapter 48_ **

Josh pulled up to Gold Coast Women’s Health Clinic 15 minutes before Anna’s scheduled appointment. He’d guessed there would need to be paperwork to fill out. The clinic was clean and quiet with warm lighting and chocolate brown walls. There were a number of other couples and women in the waiting area.

“May I help you?” The lady behind the check-in desk asked.

“Yes, I have an appointment with…Dr. Klingsler at 1:45. My name is Anna Torv.” Anna had to look at the piece of paper her mother had written the information on to see what the doctor’s name was.

“Ah, yes, miss Torv. I’ll let the nurses know you are here, and they will call you back when the doctor is ready. Please fill this out and give it to the doctor when he comes in. Have a great day.” She handed Anna a clipboard with some paperwork and a pen. They entered the waiting area and found 2 empty seats near a window. As Anna began to fill out the paperwork, Josh observed his surroundings. There were 2 women reading what looked like year old magazines. There was also a couple that reminded Josh of him and Anna—they were most likely newlyweds judging by the way they looked at each other. What surprised Josh the most was that everyone in this office seemed happy. Nobody looked sick or distressed, which confused him. When the door leading back to the exam rooms opened, everyone in the office turned their heads.

“Anna Torv?” The nurse called.

Anna stood up and looked down at Josh. “Are you going to come with me?”

“Only if you want me to.”

“I do.”

Josh stood up alongside Anna, and they headed through the door. The nurse led them to a well-lit room with green tiled walls and a laminate floor. There was a single chair next to the wall.

“I’m going to have to take a small sample of blood. Please take a seat.” The nurse announced.

Anna reluctantly sat in the chair and pushed her sleeve up. The nurse began to take Anna’s vitals. Why had she agreed to do this? Everything about this place made her skin crawl. She then began to clean the crease in Anna’s arm with a cotton ball and some kind of sterile solution. When she reached for the needle, Anna turned her head away. She felt Josh grab her hand, comforting her almost instantaneously. She felt a little bit silly needing Josh to hold her hand while she got her blood drawn but really didn’t care. She would do whatever it took to get out of here as quickly as possible.

“There, all done,” The nurse said, wrapping Anna’s arm with pink dressing. “Now if you’d follow me, I will lead you to your exam room.”

Josh helped Anna out of the chair and followed the nurse to the room.

“Your blood work should only take about 20 minutes to analyze, so the doctor will be with you around that time frame. If you need anything, I will be right outside,” She said.

“Thank you,” Anna responded.

The nurse smiled and shut the door, leaving Josh and Anna in the small room. It was similar to most exam rooms; a counter with a sink and various utensils, an exam chair covered in white paper, 3 small chairs along one of the walls, and a stack of old magazines. Sitting in one of the chairs, Josh reached for a magazine. Anna walked around the room, observing everything. She looked a little nervous.

“Everything okay, sweetheart?” Josh wondered.

“Yeah. Just a little bit confused. This isn’t the doctor I usually go to, and I’ve never been to this clinic before. I’m not sure why my mom would’ve made me an appointment here.”

“I’m not sure, either. I just told her some of the things that have been going on with you and she jumped right on it. She didn’t even seem worried.”

“I wish I could’ve talked to her this morning. I mean I’ve been to women’s health clinics before, but not because I was sick.” Anna took a seat in the chair next to Josh. “And why did I have to get my blood taken? That just seems a little odd to me.”

“I have no idea. Do you want to call you mom really quick? We’ve still got some time before the doctor comes.”

“No, I think I’ll just wait. I’ve already come this far, might as well hear what the doctor has to say.”

They sat and waited for a while until they heard a knock at the door, entering the doctor.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Klingsler. You must be Anna, and you must be Josh. Nice to meet you both,” He said, shaking their hands. He was older, about 50, with kind eyes and salt and pepper hair.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Josh answered.

“It’s a pleasure,” Anna replied.

“I have known your mom for years, Anna. She always talks about you and your brother.”

Anna smiled. Her mother was the lady that carried pictures of her children everywhere she went and showed them to anyone who would look.

“Yep, sounds like my mother. Oh, the nurse told me to give this to you when you came in,” Anna recalled, handing him the clipboard.

“Yes, thank you.”

Dr. Klingsler looked over it quickly, and then took a seat on a round stool under the counter. He looked at Anna and Josh with a twinkle in his eye.

“Well, the results of your blood work came back. I believe I’ve found the cause of all of your abnormal symptoms lately.”

“What?”

“You’re pregnant, miss Torv; I’m guessing around 6 or 7 weeks. Congratulations to you both.”

Anna’s heart stopped, and she was pretty sure all of the color drained from her face. She couldn’t have heard him right. There was no way she could be pregnant. They had used protection every time they’d made love... hadn’t they? Anna thought back to 6 weeks ago, and the realization hit her like a car crashing into a brick wall. The pond—the first time they’d ever been together. They’d been so caught up in the moment that protection had slipped both of their minds. She turned to look at Josh, who undoubtedly mirrored the way her face must look right now. He was pale: his eyes glazed over, making them unreadable. She knew that he was remembering their first time; remembering how they’d been so passionate that they’d forgot something so extremely important. If Anna hadn’t been in shock, she probably would’ve broken down. Was she ready to be a mother? Her and Josh weren’t even married yet. She had no idea how to take care of a baby, either.

Dr. Klingsler recognized the shock and panic on their faces; a look he’d seen countless times before. He knew just the thing to cure it.

“If the two of you would please follow me,” The doctor advised, standing up from his stool. Anna and Josh stood up robotically, somehow managing to move their feet to follow him. He brought them to another room with a chair wrapped in white paper similar to the one in the previous room. The only difference was that there was a fancy piece of equipment next to the chair with myriad buttons and dials. There was also a flat screen TV in front of the chair.

“Anna, would you please sit down in the chair and lift your shirt, just exposing your lower abdomen?” Dr. Klingsler asked.

Anna obeyed, sitting down and lifting her shirt. Josh sat in a chair next to her, looking even paler than he had a few minutes ago. His mind was an absolute chaos of emotion. He knew nothing about babies.

“I’m sorry if this is a little cold but it will help us see your baby.” Dr. Klingsler squeezed a bluish gel onto her stomach and reached for a tool that resembled a white microphone. He put it on her lower abdomen and began to move it around in the gel. The TV in front of Anna came to life, showing a black and white picture of what she assumed to be her uterus. For a few moments, nothing in the picture seemed to change. Then, a small black circle with what looked like a tiny peanut came into the picture.

“You see that right there?” Asked the doctor, pointing to the peanut shape. “That’s your baby.”

He magnified the picture, and Anna swore she saw a tiny flicker in the center. She blinked quickly to make sure she wasn’t imagining things, but it was still there.

“That little flutter is the baby’s heartbeat. 116 BPM, very healthy,” Dr. Klingsler reassured.

A heartbeat. The simple rhythm that verifies and controls human life. There was a life inside of her—a tiny, fragile life with a heartbeat. She had created this life with Joshua, the man she loved more than anything in the world. Anna could not wrap her mind around it. Suddenly, all of her worries dissolved. A smile slowly spread across her face. Tears began to make their way out of her eyes: not out of sadness, but out of bliss. She was growing a life inside her own body.

Dr. Klingsler watched Anna gaze at the screen in a way only mothers could do. He knew that one look at her baby would wipe that panic right off of her face. It was then he shifted his regard to Josh. Fathers always reacted differently. But the look on Josh’s face was his absolute favorite reaction: pure adoration.

Josh reached up to take Anna’s hand in his, never withdrawing his eyes from the screen. They sat marveling at the TV until Anna finally brought her eyes around to meet his. She looked at the man she had created a life with, never loving him more than she did in that moment.

“So I guess this is the little bug that has been causing you so much trouble,” Josh whispered, caressing her pretty face.

Anna let out a breathy laugh. Josh had never seen her eyes smile with so much love and adulation—he could easily stare at them forever.

“I guess so, ” Anna spoke softly, touching her forehead to his. “Oh my God, Joshua. We’re going to be parents.”

Josh drew her face to his and kissed her softly, smiling the entire time. Dr. Klingsler grinned happily, quietly printing a few ultrasound pictures and burning a disk for them. It always made his heart warm to see a couple so much in love. He knew they would make excellent parents.

 

**_Chapter 49_ **

            “Your due date is December 13th. Also, make sure you take these vitamins once a day, and read over the packet of “do’s and don’t’s” I gave to you,” Dr. Klingsler ordered as Anna and Josh got ready to leave. “You can make an appointment with the receptionist for 6 weeks from now. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. Congratulations, once again.”

“Thank you for everything, doctor,” Anna answered. “It was very nice meeting you.”

            After making the appointment, they headed to Anna’s car. When they had gotten in and buckled their seatbelts, they sat in the silence, still in shock. A little bit of the worry that had escaped Anna’s mind when she saw her baby came crawling back.

            “Are we ready for this, Joshua?” She questioned quietly.

            He rested his hand atop of hers and smiled at her. “I think we are, Anna. We love each other. We are financially stable. We are moving into a beautiful home with 2 extra bedrooms that would both make great nurseries. I’d say we are more than ready.”

            Anna beamed at him and leaned in to kiss him once again. He’d said exactly what she needed to hear.

“Did you see the little heartbeat? There are simply no words, Joshua. None. I’ve never seen anything so incredible in my life.”

“Neither have I,” Josh grinned, taking her face in his hands. “You know what else is incredible?”

“What?”

“How we created this life. I mean, it wasn’t some one-night stand or a hookup. We had finally reached that point in our relationship where we were ready to make love. Remember how perfect and beautiful it was? Our baby was made out of pure love, Anna.”

Anna hadn’t even though of it like that, but he was completely right. They might not have meant to get pregnant, but when they’d made love for the first time, their relationship became stronger than steel. They became one with each other, impossible to break apart. Now, a part of Anna and a part of Josh had come together to make one precious life. Anna brought her hand to her stomach, rubbing the surface of where a little miracle grew inside of her. She was already completely in love.

            Pulling into Susan’s driveway, Anna looked at Josh.

            “Do you think my mum knows?” She asked.

            “Yeah, I think she does. I’m pretty sure she’s happy about it, too.”

            “I’m sure she is. She’s been wanting a grandchild for years.”

            Together, they stepped out of the car and headed for Susan’s front door. Walking in, they found her sitting in her favorite chair reading a book. She looked up at them with what looked like hope twinkling in her blue eyes.

            “So, what’s the verdict? Did you find anything out?” She asked a little too innocently.

            Anna smiled and narrowed her eyes. “You know exactly what’s going on, don’t you?”

            “Oh my God. Is it true? Are you really pregnant?” Susan dropped her book and brought her hands up to cover her gaping mouth. Well, that was blunt.

            “Yeah, 6 weeks.” Anna exclaimed.

            “Oh honey, this is wonderful!” Susan stood up and took her daughter in her arms. “Are you happy?”

            “Yes, I truly am.”

            “Life has a way of throwing us marvelous unexpected gifts sometimes, doesn’t it?”

            Anna looked at Josh and smiled. She could get used to all of these unexpected gifts.

“It sure does. Do you want to see a picture of the baby?”

            “Do you even have to ask?”

            Anna opened her red and gold shoulder bag and pulled out one of the ultrasound pictures. A burst of emotion ran through her as her eyes fell upon the little spec in the center. Susan took one look at it and almost immediately started crying.

            “I can’t believe my sweet baby girl is going to be a mother,” Susan cried, wrapping her arms around Anna again. “Sit down on the couch and tell me all about your doctor visit.”

            Anna sat down on the couch next to Josh, who was watching the emotional moment between mother and daughter with a pleased look in his eyes. Susan sat back down on the very edge of the chair and leaned in closely.

            “Well when the doctor first told me I was shocked and worried. I didn’t know if I was ready,” Anna began. That look of pure love that Josh so adored returned to her eyes—he couldn’t help but stare at her. “But then I saw the baby on the ultrasound and just fell head over heels in love. I can’t even explain it.”

            Tears began streaming down Susan’s face as she listening intently. “I know exactly how you feel honey. It’s an indescribable feeling.”

            “The best part was the tiny heartbeat. Oh mum, it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” Anna emphasized. She looked up at Josh, who was grinning with happiness, and intertwined her fingers with his. “We are definitely ready for this.”

            “Yes, we are definitely ready,” Josh spoke softly, leaning down to kiss her tenderly.

            “I am so excited to be grandmother! I have been waiting for this moment for years. I cannot express how happy it makes me that you two are going to live so close to me. I hope you are okay with me spoiling that baby rotten,” Susan expressed.

            “That’s what grandmas are for.” Josh said.

            Susan’s eyes twinkled with pride. “He or she will be so lucky to have you two as parents. Having two parents that love each other and who will always love him or her is exactly how it should be,” Susan stated. She focused her eyes on Joshua. “I know you will be a great father, Josh. I could never see you abandoning your family like so many other men do. You are a rare and lucky find, Mr. Jackson.”

            “Thank you so much, Susan. That means the world to me coming from you.”

            “I sincerely mean it. Now, how about I make some lunch? Anything sound good?”

            “Something with pickles. Or bananas,” Anna commented. “God, I crave the strangest foods. It’s going to take me a while to get used to this.”

            Susan laughed. “It’ll only get stranger honey, trust me. I’ll make something you will both like.”

            While Susan headed into the kitchen, Anna rested her head on Josh’s shoulder.

            “What my mom said is absolutely true, you know,” Anna stated.

            “What?”

            “That you’re going to be a great father. There is no one else in this world I would rather have for the father of my children than you,” She shared. Her voice got a little softer. “I know you’ll never leave like our fathers left us.”

            Josh couldn’t even fathom leaving her or his child. The thought of it seemed more impossible than defying the laws of physics. “Your trust means everything to me, Anna. I know how hard it is for you to trust people, to give them a part of yourself that they could easily take advantage of. Knowing that you trust me whole-heartedly motivates me to be the best man I know how to be, and that man would never leave his family, no matter what. That man would never voluntarily cause his family pain.”

            Anna let his words sink in, memorizing every syllable. She pulled him into a firm embrace and breathed him in, letting his wonderful smell relax her entire body.

            “I love you,” She vowed.

            “And I love you.”

 

**_Chapter 50_ **

            When night came, Anna was exhausted. The doctor had told her that fatigue was a normal part of pregnancy. After she had gotten into her pajamas and brushed her teeth, she decided to read the “do’s and don’t’s” packet she was given at the clinic while Josh showered. As she read, she was astounded by how much she didn’t know. She wanted to commit the entire list to memory to make sure her baby stayed healthy. The doctor had told her there was always a risk of miscarriage until about 10 weeks, but Anna was determined to make sure that didn’t happen. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her child, even though should hadn’t even met him or her yet. Grabbing her computer from the nightstand, she decided to do a little pregnancy research. When she typed in ‘pregnancy 6 weeks’ so many results came up that she didn’t even know where to start. She started with the first site and then the second, until she had read around 30 different webpages. There was so much information to take in that she was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. Just then Josh walked out of the bathroom wearing only his towel. His hair was still a bit damp and messy, just the way she liked it. Although she was smiling at him, he seemed to sense there was something wrong, like always.

            “Everything okay?” He asked.

            “Yeah. I have just been trying to research about pregnancy. There is so much information that I don’t think I can remember it all.”

            He came and sat next to her on the bed. “Honey, it’s okay. You don’t have to memorize it all. We’re going to make mistakes, we will just learn as we go.”

            Anna brought her hands to her stomach protectively, a look of fear clouding her face. “What if I miscarry, Joshua? I really don’t think I could handle it.”

            Josh put his hands on top of hers. There was something wordlessly beautiful about both parents touching the place where their fetus grew and developed.

            “We will just take this one day at a time and be as careful as possible. Whatever happens, we’ll be okay. We’re together.”

            Anna rested her head on his chest. He always knew exactly what to say. When she yawned, Josh shifted to turn off the light and moved her computer back onto the nightstand. He pulled off his towel and crawled under the covers. As he spooned Anna, he craved the feeling of her nude body against his. He didn’t want sex; he just wanted that matchless feeling of skin against skin. Josh turned her around to face him and peeled his t-shirt off of her body. She turned back around and fit herself against him so they were spooning again. Her skin felt so soft and warm; he could stay here forever. Josh smoothed his hand around to her front until he reached her abdomen. He gently caressed the place where their baby resided and felt Anna’s hand lay on top of his. They both fell asleep smiling, envisioning the wonderful life that was surely ahead of them.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**_Chapter 51_ **

            “Joshua, are you almost ready to go?” Anna yelled from the doorway of their apartment. They had been living there for a little over 3 months now, and loved every second of having their own place together. However, today was the day Anna had been waiting for since the day she’d found out she was pregnant; it was the day they found out if their baby was a boy or a girl. So far she’d had an extremely successful pregnancy. After about 12 weeks, the morning sickness and food aversions resided some; but, like her mother predicted, the cravings had just gotten weirder. She was now exactly 22 weeks and had a small baby bump to show for it. Joshua was always touching, kissing, and talking to her stomach, which she adored. His voice always got so soft and loving when he spoke to their little bug, which was what they had resulted to calling their baby since they’d thought Anna had a ‘little bug’ when she was actually pregnant. They had also decided to get married in February after the baby was born. In Australia, February was still summer, which was Anna’s favorite time of the year. She also hoped that by then she’d be back to her normal weight.

            “Yep, just grabbing my wallet,” Josh replied, walking over to meet Anna at the door. “Let’s get this party started, shall we?”

            They headed out to their new car, which they had gotten to better accommodate a baby. It was much safer than Anna’s old one and would make taking a car seat in and out much easier. On the way to the clinic, Anna could hardly contain herself. She was so excited to start decorating the nursery and buying clothes and toys. They did their usual check in and sat in the waiting room for what seemed like days when the nurse finally called them back. She led them straight to the exam room and Anna readily jumped onto the chair. A few minutes later, Dr. Klingsler entered the room.

            “Josh, Anna good to see you again. How is the pregnancy going?” Asked the doctor.

            “It’s going great so far. Haven’t had morning sickness in weeks, but my feet are starting to swell up,” Anna replied.

            “Well, no more morning sickness is always a favorite among the mothers. Yes, I would expect your feet to start to swell up around this time. I’m glad to hear it’s going good, otherwise. Let’s see how you baby’s doing.”

            Dr. Klingsler spread the gel and the microphone tool around on her abdomen, finding the baby easily. Anna was always taken aback at how much the baby developed each time she had an ultrasound. Every time their little bug started to look more and more like a little human being.

            “Wow, I can’t believe how big the baby has gotten,” Josh marveled.

            “They grow very fast. Here are the face, hands, and feet. I’ll switch to 3D view so you can see better,” Dr. Klingsler added.

            Anna wanted so badly to touch those tiny hands and feet, to caress that sweet face. She couldn’t wait to hold her baby in her arms. When he switched it over to 3D, Anna wanted to cry. She had never seen the baby’s face so clear before, it was amazing how technology could do something so phenomenal.

            “This is incredible. I never thought we’d be able to see the face before he or she was born,” Anna gaped.

            “Would you like to know the sex? The baby is in a perfect position.”

            “Oh yes, please,” Anna begged.

            Dr. Klingsler smiled, “Congratulations, it’s a girl.”

            Now Anna was crying. Although all she’d wanted was a healthy baby, she’d been hoping for a girl. Her entire life she’d wanted a daughter. She turned and took Josh’s hand in hers, who was all smiles. She knew he’d wanted a girl too, even though he’d never said so. Whenever they were in a baby store getting basic necessities, she always found him gazing at the isles designated for little girls.

            “A girl,” was all Josh could say through his huge beam.

            “A girl,” Anna repeated, pulling him into a hug.  She moved her hands through his thick hair. They pulled apart and looked back at their baby girl moving on the screen.

            “Now there are a few things you should be aware of in the upcoming months. I see you’ve already noticed your feet swelling, but your fingers will most likely swell, too. I recommend taking off your ring. You might also experience stretch marks, dizziness, and heartburn, which are all normal pregnancy symptoms. Like always, if anything concerns you, just give me a call. I’ll print some pictures and make another DVD for you.”

            “Thank you doctor,” Anna said, not looking away from the TV or letting go of Josh’s hand.

            Dr. Klinglser smiled at the couple, wishing he could see more people like them everyday.

 

**_Chapter 52_ **

            “Joshua, we should stop at Babies Galore before we go home,” Anna grinned. Simply ‘stopping’ at Babies Galore was impossible. They always spent hours in there reading and comparing everything. Now since they knew they were having a girl, they’d probably be in there all night. Although most men probably disliked spending such a long time in a baby store, Josh enjoyed it. He loved seeing how happy it made Anna when she looked at the tiny clothes and toys. He lived for that perfect smile.

            “Alright mommy,” Josh agreed.

            When they pulled up to the giant store, there weren’t many cars in the parking lot, which pleased Josh. Considering it was 2:00 PM on a Thursday, he wasn’t surprised; though sometimes this place was so busy they could barely move. When they walked into the door, Anna headed straight for the girls’ section. Josh smiled and shook his head, grabbing a large cart and trailing after her. He found her fingering a pink long sleeved onesie with a matching hat and pants.

            “I don’t even know where to start,” Anna confessed.

            “How about if you like it, put it in the cart,” Josh conferred.

            “I think I like everything, though.”

            “Well, how about if you absolutely love it, put it in the cart.”

            Anna took her time looking at every single newborn outfit, throwing more in than not. She stopped when she found a soft coverall that said ‘Daddy’s Girl.’ She looked over at Josh who was comparing the safety of two strollers and smiled. She tossed the coverall in the cart knowing that their daughter would definitely have daddy wrapped around her little finger—in fact, it seemed she already did. Anna walked over to him and waited patiently for him to finish reading a label on a stroller.

            “What do you think about this one, honey? It’s won the Safety Pick Award three years in a row,” He asked, not taking his eyes away from it.

            “I think whatever you pick will be perfect,” Anna granted.

            Josh continued to inspect the stroller keenly. “The only problem is that the wheel locks don’t seem very stable. I mean they’re made of flimsy plastic, how safe could that be? I think we should keep looking.”

            Anna laughed to herself and agreed. Josh had insisted being in charge of picking out a car seat, stroller, bassinet, and crib. So far, none had been purchased. He was always looking for something safer and better than the last. She decided to let him keep his job for at least another 2 months. After that, she’d have to step in. She did love how much he cared about their daughter’s safety, though.

            After spending a little over 4 hours in the store, Josh and Anna came out with 2 full cartloads of stuff.

            “Good thing we bought a bigger vehicle, huh?” Anna asked.

            “Yeah, thank goodness. It’s sure going to come in handy.”

            They unloaded their purchases in the back of their car and started to head home. They only lived about 5 minutes away from the store, but Josh always drove extra slowly when she was in the car. He didn’t want to risk hurting her or the baby, which warmed her heart. Anna rubbed her stomach as her mind wondered, like she always did. It seemed like she was always touching her tummy now that it was starting to undeniably protrude.

            Pulling into the parking lot of their apartment, Josh was thankful yet again that they lived on the first floor.

            “Why don’t you go inside and put your feet up? I’ve got this, “ Josh insisted.

            “Joshua Carter, I’m not going to let you carry everything inside by yourself. I’m pregnant, not helpless.” Anna grabbed an armful of plastic bags and headed towards their apartment. Josh followed, knowing he was crazy to think his stubborn fiancée would ever agree to just sit and do nothing. After making several trips, they finally got everything unloaded and put in the baby’s room. Anna wanted so desperately to start hanging up all the clothes, but she needed to rest. Her feet were killing her. She lowered herself onto the couch and rested her head on a soft throw pillow. Closing her eyes, she brought her hands to her stomach. Although she could feel her daughter moving inside of her, their baby had yet to kick. Dr. Klingsler told Anna that she should start feeling her kick around 22 weeks, so Anna had been desperately waiting for it to happen. She knew that Josh was anxious too, since he didn’t have the privilege of feeling her move everyday. There was absolutely nothing better than feeling her move. It was something special she got to experience with her baby that she didn’t have to share with anyone else. It was like a million butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach, and it was absolutely magical. Every time she felt her move, it was like the world stopped turning for a minute, leaving only her and her little bug. Anna never wanted it to end.

            “It’s time to wake up and eat something, sweetheart,” Josh whispered in her ear, arousing her to consciousness. “You’ve been asleep for over an hour.”

            Anna sat up sleepily and rubbed her eyes. She felt the baby move restlessly the way she did when she was hungry.

            “I’m sorry baby girl. Mommy will eat something as soon as possible,” Anna said to her stomach. She loved the fact that they finally knew the sex. It would be so nice to no longer have to refer to her daughter as “the baby” all the time.

            “I made spaghetti with those meatballs you love that are stuffed with cheese.”

            Oh, he knew her so well. “That sounds wonderful, Joshua. Thank you so much,” she said, pulling him in for a quick kiss.

            “You’re welcome, baby.” Josh leaned down and kissed her stomach “And my other baby, whom I’m sure will love the food just as much as her mommy does.”

            “She definitely will.”

That night, Anna was exhausted despite the fact she’d taken a nap. Miraculously, she managed to make it all the way to her and Josh’s room without falling asleep. As soon as her face hit the pillow and Josh’s arm pulled her close, she fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

 

**_Chapter 53_ **

Anna woke with a start to her cell phone ringing loudly on the nightstand. She picked it up without looking at the caller ID, assuming it was either her mother or Josh.

“Hello?” Anna said.

“Anna! Hi! It’s Jasika. How are you?”

Anna sat up in her bed, startled by Jasika’s arbitrary call.

“Jasika, hi! I’m doing great. How are you?”

“I’m good. Hey, so are the rumors true?”

“What rumors?”

“That you and Josh are finally together?”

Anna had to stifle a giggle. People were going to flip when they heard that not only were they together, they were getting married and having a baby.

“Yes, the rumors are very true,” Anna laughed.

Anna heard Jasika squeal on the other end of the line.

“It’s about time! I knew that you guys wouldn’t be able to stay apart for long after filming ended. So when’s the wedding?” Jasika asked jokingly, not knowing that there actually was going to be a wedding. Anna decided this would be a perfect opportunity to break the news about their upcoming marriage and baby.

“It’s in February.”

Jasika was quiet for a few moments. “…What?”

“The wedding. It’s in February. After the baby is born.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, wait. What? Anna, you’re just joking with me right?”

Anna grinned, becoming giddy. It felt good to finally tell one of her best friends about the two most wonderful events that would ever happen in her life.

“I’m not kidding at all, Jas! Joshua proposed to me about 5 ½ months ago, and a few days later we found out I was pregnant.”

“Oh my God. Oh my God! Anna! I don’t even know what to say! Congratulations!”

“Thank you so much. I’m so happy—I’ve never been this happy in my life. I would’ve told you sooner, but it’s been a crazy several months, as you can probably tell.”

“Don’t worry about it, I completely understand! So, do you know what you’re having yet?

“We just found out yesterday that it’s a girl. You’re the first one I’ve told, besides Josh, of course.”

“How wonderful! I can’t wait to meet her!”

“Me neither, I can hardly stand it anymore. I really hope you’ll come to Australia for the wedding, Jas. We haven’t planned much yet, but I know that I want you to be one of my bridesmaids for sure.”

“Oh, Anna, I’d be honored. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. So I’m assuming Josh decided to stay in Australia for good?”

“Yeah, I didn’t even ask him to. He just flew out here and decided he was staying, which I couldn’t be happier about, of course.”

“I’m not surprised at all. If there’s one thing I’m certain of in this world it’s that Josh loves you.”

Anna’s heart warmed. “He makes sure I know it, too. Every single day.”

“Like I, along with everyone else, said a million times: you guys are absolutely perfect for each other.”

“And now I know it’s true.”

“I am so happy for you two, Anna. I don’t know if I can keep all of this a secret!”

“Jas, you don’t have to keep it a secret. You can tell whomever you’d like. Makes it easier on me not having to break the news to so many people.”

“Are you sure?

“Of course. It’ll limit the number of ballistic phone calls I will get when people receive their unexpected wedding invitation. It’ll also help diminish the even more ballistic looks I will get when people see me with my baby!”

“I didn’t even think about that! I’m sure you’re going to get lots of congratulatory phone calls after I tell people, though.”

“That’s alright. I don’t mind.”

Anna felt her daughter move, letting her know she was hungry.

“Well Jas, I’d better go. It’s morning here, and I haven’t eaten breakfast yet.”

“It was so great talking to you, Anna. Again, I am so happy for you. I will call you soon to check up, alright?”

“I would like that. Love you, Jas.”

“Love you, too.”

Anna pressed “end” on her cell phone and walked to the bathroom. She swore her bladder was only the size of a clementine. When she finished, she started washing her hands, and noticed her engagement ring. Every time she looked at it, joy filled her entire body. Then she remembered what the doctor said about her fingers swelling up, and that he recommended she take off the ring. As much as Anna hated to, she slid the precious ring off her finger and put it in a safe place inside her jewelry box.

When she entered the kitchen, Josh looked up from pouring himself a cup of coffee and smiled at her. His smile was like a contagious disease, always infecting other people. He looked so handsome standing there in his jeans and button-up shirt; Anna couldn’t help but smile back at him. Staring at him made her remember her conversation with Jasika, and how she’d said there was no doubt in her mind that Josh loved Anna. He had traveled halfway around the world to an unknown country just so he could be with her. It sounded like something that only happened in movies and books. She walked over to him and looped her arms around his neck.

“I love you,” She whispered in his ear.

“Well, isn’t that a wonderful way to start the day? I love you too, sweetheart.”

She pulled away from him and went to sit on the couch. He came and sat next to her, resting his arm around her shoulders.

“Jasika called me this morning. I told her about the wedding and the baby.”

“I thought I heard you talking to someone. How’s Jasika doing?”

“She said she’s doing good. She’s really happy for us.”

“I’m sure she is. She always told me we belonged together.”

“She used to tell me that all the time, too.”

“Who knew she’d be right?”

Anna touched his face tenderly. “I always knew.”

Josh pulled her face to his, kissing her soft lips. “I always knew, too,” he whispered against her mouth.

They continued to kiss until she felt the baby flutter. Only this time, it felt like someone was flicking her from the inside. She jumped and placed her hands on her abdomen, and for the first time, felt movement on the outside.

“Oh my God, she’s kicking! Joshua, hurry, feel!”

Startled, Josh put his hand next to Anna’s, anxiously waiting to feel his daughter for the first time. After a few moments, he felt a flicker on his hand as light as a heartbeat. Astounded, Josh put both hands on Anna’s stomach, focusing all his attention on feeling that tiny kick. When he felt her a second time, it was harder than the first, almost like she was letting them know she was there. This was undoubtedly the most remarkable thing Josh had ever experienced. He leaned his face down as close as he could get to Anna’s abdomen.

“Hi little bug. Daddy has been waiting for so long to feel you move.”

Anna felt like melting whenever he talked to their daughter. That unconditional love in his eyes, the way his whole body smiled; it was almost more than she could take. One of the best parts was that she knew she was the only one who’d ever seen this side of him. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face the first time he held her.

“I’m pretty sure she’s hungry,” Anna said to Josh. She placed her hands on top of his on her stomach.

As much as Josh wanted to stay there feeling his daughter move forever, he knew both of his girls had to eat. “Anything you are craving this morning?”

“No, not really. You don’t have to go through any trouble making an elaborate meal. Something simple would be just fine.”

“Honey, I enjoy taking care of you. You know that. If you want a huge meal, I’d be glad to make it.”

She leaned over and kissed him. “How about cereal today? Then you can get back here quicker and feel her kick with me.”

“Now that I won’t argue with.”

 

**_Chapter 54_ **

            After breakfast and about an hour of gushing over their baby’s new ability, Anna decided they should tell their mothers the news about discovering they were having a little girl. Fiona had been just as excited about the pregnancy as Susan had been, vowing to come as soon as the baby was born. Aisleagh and Anna’s brother, Dylan, were both anxiously anticipating the arrival of the baby, too. Anna felt so fortunate to have family members and friends that already loved her daughter.

            “My mom is going to flip when I tell her,” Josh laughed. “I’m sure she will buy out the entire baby section the minute she finds out.”

            “I’m sure my mum will do the same exact thing.”

            “You want to call them at the same time? Might be entertaining.”

            “Let’s do it.”

            Josh and Anna both dialed their mother’s cell phones and waited for them to answer. After exchanging pleasantries, they broke the news. Excited squeals exploded out of the phones, causing them both to pull the devices away from their ears to save their eardrums. Looking at each other, they shook their heads and smiled. Oh, how they loved their mothers. About 10 minutes later, Anna and Josh finally hung up their phones.

            “So, what did your mum have to say?” Anna asked.

            “Well most of it was gibberish, but I’m pretty sure she was excited. I’m not sure though, I could be wrong,” Josh jokingly replied. “What did yours say?”

            “She said that she is going to throw me a baby shower here soon. Then she asked if we have any names picked out.”

            Although Anna knew her and Josh would have to pick out a name eventually, she wasn’t in a hurry. She had a feeling the name would just come to them somehow.

            “Did she give you any recommendations?”

            “She said we should name her something that has meaning. I think we should, too.”

            “That sounds great to me. We just have to find a meaning that fits her.”

            “I think when we see her it’ll come to us.”

            “I like the idea of that.”

 

**_Chapter 55_ **

            13 weeks later, Anna could barely move. At 35 weeks, she felt like a planet everywhere she went. In these passing weeks, her and Josh had been preparing themselves for the arrival of their daughter. They’d started going to parenting and birthing classes and had also been cooking and freezing numerous meals, knowing they would be too tired to cook once she got here. Anna had even painted the nursery a light yellow, similar to the color of her childhood room. It was stocked with hundreds of toys, outfits, and basic necessities. She had gotten quite a bit of stuff from the baby shower, which she was extremely grateful for. Anna had finally buckled down on Josh and made him choose a crib, bassinet, stroller, and car seat. Everything he chose was both top of the line in safety and fashionable; She wasn’t at all surprised.

            The last couple of days, Anna had been feeling extra miserable. She really didn’t know if she could go an entire 3 weeks feeling like this. Her feet were swollen so badly she could only fit into slippers or flip-flops; Her back felt like it was constantly on the verge of breaking; She had to pee every 5 minutes, no matter if she had drunk something recently or not; Her moods were all over the place; and she was always overwhelmingly hot. She felt bad for Josh having to put up with her, but he handled it better than most men, she assumed. He never got impatient with her or even acted like her crazy moods fazed him.

            As Anna woke up, she wanted nothing more than to just go back to sleep. Sleeping with a gigantic stomach was nearly impossible—it was even worse when there was something inside your gigantic stomach that was constantly kicking you. She had been getting a maximum of 5 hours of sleep a night, having to wake up numerous times to use the bathroom or because the baby had kicked her somewhere sensitive. Even though she tried to be quiet when she was awakened, Josh almost always woke up with her and helped sooth her back to sleep. If it wasn’t for Josh, Anna honestly didn’t know how she would survive this pregnancy.

            Using all of her strength, she sat up and leaned back against the headboard. She had only been awake a few moments and she already had to use the bathroom badly. Josh was sound asleep, undoubtedly exhausted from waking up with her at night. Anna decided to be extra quiet and careful as she walked—or rather waddled—to the bathroom. After she finished, she decided that she wanted to make breakfast for Josh, since he was always the one to make it for her. She knew that Josh loved homemade waffles, so she started to gather all of the ingredients and got out the waffle iron. Even though cooking was definitely harder while being pregnant, it felt good to do something nice for the man she loved.

            Josh woke up to the delicious aroma of his all-time favorite breakfast food. Rolling over, he was a little shocked when he didn’t find Anna lying next to him. He was even more shocked when he realized it must be her creating that marvelous smell. Hopping out of bed, he sleepily walked into the kitchen to find his exceedingly pregnant fiancée standing over a waffle iron.

            “Smells wonderful, honey, but you didn’t have to go through all of this trouble. I know how much it hurts your feet and back to stand very long.”

            “I’m fine. Besides, this is the least I could do for you. It’s just a little way to show how thankful I am for everything you do for me. I couldn’t do this without you.”

            Josh walked over and placed his hands on her protruding stomach from behind, and trailed light kisses down her neck.

            “You’re welcome sunshine, but don’t forget that I’m the one who got you pregnant in the first place. It’s my responsibility to be here for you and the baby every step of the way,” Josh assured. He turned her to face him, her large belly touching his. “You and this little girl are my life, Anna. Love doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about both of you.”

            “Well, I still appreciate it. You go out of your way to make sure I’m happy, and I could not ask for more. So, go sit down and let me take care of you for a change.”

            Josh was not about to argue with a pregnant woman. Obediently, he sat down at their kitchen table without another word. A few minutes later, Anna brought him a cup of coffee, a plateful of waffles, some cut up fruit, and the newspaper. Not that he would admit it, but this was really nice for a change.

            “A, this is great. Thank you so much.”

            “Of course,” She said, leaning down to kiss his cheek. Now it was her turn to make herself a plate. The last couple of days, Anna had noticed her daughter wasn’t moving as often as she used to. She guessed it was because there wasn’t very much room for her to move around in there anymore. Anna had also noticed the baby seemed to have descended downwards towards her pelvic area, which really put a strain on her lower back. Grabbing some fruit and waffles, Anna joined Josh at the table.

            “I was thinking about going to the store today to stock up on some stuff. Would that be okay, or do you need me here?” Josh questioned.

            “No, I think that’s a good idea. I’ll be fine. I want to get the take-home bag ready along with some other little things I’ve been putting off.”

            “Okay. I won’t be long,” Josh stated, standing up from the table. He walked over and kissed the top of Anna’s head. “Thanks for breakfast again, honey. It was great.” He put his dishes in the sink, and then went into their bedroom to shower and get ready. Finishing up her meal, Anna looked outside to find the sun just starting to make its way to the top of the sky. She cleaned up her area at the table and then stepped out onto their little porch to bask in the Australian warmth. She loved this time of day when it wasn’t uncomfortably hot. She missed being outside and going to the beach every day—she knew for sure that their daughter would definitely be a beach baby. Anna sat down at their patio table, which was equipped with an umbrella. It was one of her favorite purchases they had made for their new home. Leaning back in the chair, she closed her eyes and let the sun’s heavenly rays radiate throughout her entire body.

            Josh walked into the kitchen expecting to find Anna at the table. When he didn’t see her, he assumed she was out on the porch. Looking out of the huge window, he saw her relaxing in the sun with a look of contentment on her pretty face. He smiled, glad she could find some pleasure during this rough time, and headed out the door. 


	12. Chapter 12

**_Chapter 56_ **

Anna stood in the middle of her daughter’s room, taking in each and every detail. She had just finished packing the take-home bag, filling it with everything they would need when they finally got to bring her home. She walked around, running her fingers along the crib, rocking chair, changing table, dresser, and little outfits. These last few weeks weren’t just going to be hard on her body; they were going to be hard on her additionally because she simply could not wait for her baby to finally be here. Putting the take-home bag by the door, Anna walked into the kitchen to get started on the dishes. About 5 minutes into washing, a small cramping feeling in her lower abdomen made her cringe. She had gotten these types of pains before, especially lately, so she pushed it to the side. 10 minutes later, the cramping had only gotten worse, and more persistent. Anna tried focusing on her breathing and paced around the house. She tried sitting, lying down, standing in one spot, but nothing was making the pain subside. As time went on, the pain diffused to her back, lower pelvis, and bottom. Anna was starting to get a little bit scared; these didn’t feel like the false contractions she’d felt a couple of times before. Then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, she felt an abrupt wetness run down her legs. Since she was only wearing a large t-shirt, she looked down at the liquid on her inner thighs and the floor and froze. Her water had just broken. As soon as she realized this, it was like everything she had learned over the past 8 months had drained from her mind. She couldn’t move, think, or feel. This couldn’t be happening—she was only 35 weeks. She still had at least 3 more weeks to go, the baby wasn’t ready for this. Mommy instincts kicking in, Anna made her way to her cell phone and called Josh. Thankfully he answered on the second ring.

“Hey, honey. Everything okay?” Josh asked.

Anna tried to speak, but nothing came out.

“Anna? Hello?”

“…Joshua?” She managed to whimper.

“Anna what’s wrong?”

“My water just broke.”

Josh felt all of the color drain from his face. He needed to stay calm. He needed to stay composed for her.

“I am on my way, everything will be just fine. Just breathe, baby. Just breathe. Stay on the phone with me.”

“It’s too early. She’s not ready.”

“It’ll be okay, Anna. Trust me.”

Leaving the cart and groceries in the middle of the aisle, Josh sprinted to the car. As much as he was trying to stay placid to keep her calm, he was afraid and screaming internally. He sped towards their home, doing his best to remember the Australian traffic laws in his dismayed state. After what seemed like hours of driving, he arrived at their flat. He left the car on and ran to the door, finding Anna in the fetal position on their couch. Adrenaline surging through his body, he scooped her up and raced back to the car.

“Get...the…bag,” Anna sputtered through her gritted teeth.

“Where is it?”

“Nursery.”

Buckling her into the passenger seat, Josh hurried back into the house and grabbed the take-home bag, locking the door on the way out. When he made it back to the car, he finally got a good look at Anna. She was white as a ghost; sweat dripping down her fear-stricken face. No parenting or birthing classes could’ve prepared them for this.

“Hold on a few more minutes, okay? Just hold on.” Josh’s voice broke in the middle of the sentence, his façade finally revealing itself. Anna started to cry.

“She’s not ready. I still have 3 weeks. This can’t be happening right now.”

“Everything is going to be okay. Try to stay calm.”

Josh pulled up to the ER and parked in the closest spot he could find. Opening the door, he jumped out and ran to get Anna. She was still crying as he unbuckled her seatbelt and carried her through the automatic sliding doors.

“I need help! Her water just broke!” Josh yelled.

Nurses scurried each and every way; one grabbed a wheelchair and helped Josh set Anna into it.

“How far along is she?” One of the nurses asked Josh.

“35 weeks.”

“Are you her husband?”

“Yes…no…Fiancée.” Josh blurted, his mind still in a jumbled mess.

“Alright, could you fill out some paperwork while we bring her back to get settled into a room?”

There was no way Josh was letting her go anywhere without him. “Could I fill out the paperwork in the room with her? I don’t want to leave her.”

“She will be okay, sir. We are all highly trained for this sort of thing.”

“Let me rephrase that. There is no way on this Earth I am leaving her.”

Anna let out a loud moan of pain, and without a moment’s hesitation, the nurses began to wheel her away. Josh ran after them before he could be stopped.

“Sir, could I at least get your names?” The nurse asked, running along beside him.

“Her name is Anna Torv and mine is Josh Jackson. Our physician is Dr. Klingsler.”

The nurse pulled out her pager and paged the doctor. Stopping at a room, the nurses helped Anna change into gown and get onto the bed. She had stopped crying and now looked more like she might pass out. Her eyes started to frantically search the room, stopping when they landed on Josh.

“Joshua,” She uttered, reaching for him.

He started towards her, but was stopped by a nurse.

“I’ll need you to change into something sterile before you can come in here. Follow me,” The nurse said.

“I will be right back, baby. I just need to change my clothes, okay?” Josh assured Anna.

She nodded, her face beginning to contort as another painful contraction took over her body. Josh hurried down the hall with the nurse, and changed into a pair of scrubs inside of a small, metal room. When he made it back to Anna, she’d already been given an IV and had calmed down a bit. He pulled up a chair next to her and brushed her damp hair out of her face.

“Are you feeling a little better?” He asked.

“A little. They said I’m dilated to a 3 and that my contractions are about 5 minutes apart. I’m already in active labor— I didn’t even know I’d gone through early labor. I just thought the contractions I’d been having this last day were normal.”

“There’s no way you could’ve known, honey. It’s okay. You’re doing great.”

Josh took Anna’s hand in his as another contraction moved through. He couldn’t imagine the pain she was going through; he wished he could take it all away and put it on himself. After it had passed, she turned to look at him. Her green eyes were full of fear.

“Please don’t leave me,” was all she could say.

“Never. I’ll be right here the entire time.”

Just then, Dr. Klingsler came in. Josh felt his body relax a little, having someone who was familiar with Anna’s pregnancy.

“Miss Torv, how are you feeling?” He asked Anna as he checked her dilation.

“I’m okay, but what about my baby? I’m only 35 weeks—will she be okay?” Anna asked frantically.

“She has a very strong heartbeat and looks very healthy according to the ultrasound. She might have some trouble breathing, but other than that, she should be perfectly fine.”

“What kind of trouble breathing? Will she have to stay in the hospital? Will I get to hold her?”

“She should be able to breathe on her own, but might need to have a little oxygen for a few days until her lungs develop. It’s hard to say though; some babies born this early are perfectly healthy. But yes Anna, you will definitely get to hold your daughter.”

Josh could visibly see Anna’s body relax as the doctor reassured her everything would be fine. When the next contraction came, she was prepared for it, and used her breathing techniques to help her through it. Josh was so happy that Dr. Klingsler had been available to help Anna through this.

A couple of hours later, Anna was dilated to a 6. She was over halfway there and was holding up amazingly well.

“It’s time to decide if you’d like an epidural or not,” Dr. Klingsler told her.

Anna knew it would hurt immensely, but she didn’t want anything that could potentially harm her baby. She had learned many useful breathing and hypnotic techniques to get her through the birth, and she also had Josh by her side for support.

“I don’t want an epidural. I want to have a natural birth.”

“Are you sure? You won’t be able to change your mind once you dilate to a 7.”

“I’m sure.”

Josh was amazed at her courage and altruism. He knew that if he were in her position, he’d definitely get the epidural. He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

“Anna, you’re incredible, do you know that? You are the bravest, most selfless person I’ve ever known.”

His words of encouragement were just what she needed to hear as she went through this. She smiled at him warmly.

“Thank you, Joshua. Can you believe we are going to meet our baby girl today? I can’t wrap my mind around it.”

“I can’t either. I think we’re a little bit in shock. Would you like me to call you mother?”

“Yes, and yours. They’re both going to want to know what’s going on. Make sure you tell them I’m fine and that the baby is fine, too.”

“I’ll tell them. I’m just going to be right here in the hall okay?”

“Okay.”

He kissed her head and headed out into the hallway. He decided to call Susan first, knowing Anna would want to have her mother here.

“Hello, Josh! How is everything?” Susan answered.

“Hi, Susan. I just though I’d tell you that Anna is in labor, and that her and the baby are fine.”

“Oh my God. I’m on my way now.”

Without another word, she hung up the phone. Now that he had broken the news to Anna’s mother, it was time to break the news to his. He dialed her number and waited.

“Hi, honey,” Fiona said.

“Hey mom.”

“What’s going on?”

“Well, Anna has gone into labor. Her and the baby are fine, but Anna will be giving birth within the next several hours.”

“What? So soon? Oh, I’ll jump on the next plane. Please call me if anything else happens.”

“I will.”

“Tell Anna I’m thinking about her and that I know she will do great.”

“Thanks, I’ll tell her. I better get back in there, mom. I’ll call you if anything else comes up.”

“Okay. Love you, honey.”

“Love you, too.”

Hanging up, Josh returned to Anna’s side.

“Hi. Anything new happen since I’ve been out?” He asked her.

“I’m dilated to a 7 now. He said that my labor is going to get a lot worse and that I should start preparing.”

Josh took her hand. “I will be here every step of the way. I’m here for good now.”

“Thank goodness. Are our mothers coming?”

“Yes. Your mom should be here any minute, and mine said she is jumping on the next flight. She told me to tell you she’s thinking about you and knows you’ll do great.”

Anna smiled, glad they had such wonderful moms. Even though she wanted Josh with her the most, she really wanted her mother right now. No matter how old she was her mother would always bring her comfort.

A few minutes later, Susan burst through the door looking distraught. When she saw Anna, her distress worsened. She took her daughter’s face between her hands.

“Anna, sweetie, how are you? How’s the baby?”

“We’re both fine, mum. Didn’t Josh tell you that?”

“Yes, but it didn’t stop me from worrying. You’re only 35 weeks.”

“I know, but the doctor told me everything would be fine. He said she looks healthy and strong.”

“That makes me feel a little better, but not much. I think I’d still be anxious even if you were full-term. Did you get an epidural?”

“I’m going to do it naturally. I’ve already made up my mind.”

“You are much braver than I ever was, I’ll tell you that much. I’m so proud of you,” She leaned down and kissed Anna’s forehead. “Well, they’re going to make me leave any second now. Just know that I will be right outside in the waiting room. I can’t wait to finally meet this precious baby girl.”

“Thank you for being here, mum. I’ll make sure they let you know as soon as she gets here.”

Susan nodded and walked out into the waiting room. Anna closed her eyes and leaned back against the pillow, clearly experiencing another contraction. She took deep breaths in and out, which seemed to help subside the pain. Seeing her like this Josh could handle; he didn’t know what would happen when the pain started to get worse. He just hoped he wouldn’t pass out.

 

**_Chapter 57_ **

            “Alright Anna, you are dilated to a 9 and almost 100% effaced. It’s almost time to start pushing.” Dr. Klingsler said. The last couple of hours, Anna had been going through hell. The contractions were lasting about a minute with only about a 30 second break in between. Sometimes they even overlapped, which caused Anna to scream in pain. Josh had stayed strong for her, allowing her to squeeze his hand and wrap her arms around him as needed. He constantly gave her words of encouragement so she didn’t start to feel like giving up. She was doing amazingly well, considering she’d had no pain medication whatsoever. Even the nurses were a bit astounded that she wasn’t screaming in agony more frequently.

            The contractions started to get much closer together, so the doctor checked her dilation once more.

            “Alright Anna, you’re are fully dilated and effaced. It’s time to start pushing. Whenever you feel a contraction, just hold your breath and push.”

            Anna immediately started to push, not able to resist any longer. Josh held her hand tightly and talked her through it. She tried her best to focus on just his voice to block out the almost unbearable pain she was experiencing. This was a lot worse than she had expected.

            “Keep going, Anna, you’re doing great. We can see her head, keep pushing!” The doctor encouraged.

            Anna pushed again and again, each time becoming more exhausted. She didn’t know how much longer she could go through this. Her body felt like it was shattering into a billion pieces; all she wanted to do was sleep.

            “Anna, honey, you can do this. Just one more push. Just one more big push,” Josh soothed.

            She turned her head to look into his eyes—those ocean blue eyes that always made her feel safe. He was looking at her in pure admiration and love, giving her the strength to push one more time. She held her breath, closed her eyes, and gave the hardest push she could manage. A few seconds later the most wonderful, miraculous sound filled the room: a baby’s cry.

            After Josh cut the umbilical cord and the nurses dried and cleaned her off, they set her on the scale and began to check her health. Josh wanted so badly to go and see her, but he knew he couldn’t leave Anna right now.

            “Is she okay?” Anna uttered frantically.

            “Her breathing is normal, and she weighs a healthy 6 pounds 11 ounces. Congratulations, she’s beautiful,” Dr. Klingsler said. He wrapped her up in a small blanket, put a hat on her head, and placed her in Anna’s arms. The minute the baby touched Anna, her crying seized.

            She was the most beautiful thing Anna had ever laid eyes on. She had a perfect little face with a button nose and heart shaped lips. Tears of love streamed down Anna’s cheeks as she held her daughter for the very first time. She had never experienced this kind of unconditional love before. It was something that simply couldn’t be explained; it could only experienced. She kissed her baby’s little lips, nose, cheeks, and forehead. There was no way she was going to let her go anytime soon.

            “Hi my precious girl. I guess you knew how much mommy and daddy wanted to meet you, huh?” Anna spoke softly, smiling like she never had before.

            Josh’s heart melted into a puddle on the ground when he saw that sweet face for the first time. She looked like an angel. He couldn’t believe that he had helped create something so incredibly perfect. He ran his fingers along her soft cheek and felt wetness in the corners of his eyes. It had been decades since he had cried, but this was something so phenomenal that the tears just seemed to spill out.

            “How can you love someone so much that you just met?” Josh whispered.

            “I was wondering the exact same thing. I can’t believe she’s ours.”

            Anna looked at Josh and saw the tears falling down his cheeks. With her free hand, she used her thumb to wipe them from his face. Never taking his eyes off of hers, he angled his head and gave her a heartfelt kiss.

            “Anna, you did… incredible. There are honestly no words to describe how amazing you are,” He vowed, kissing her again. “Our little girl is absolutely flawless. Just look at her.”

            “She’s marvelous, Joshua. Have you ever seen anything so tiny?”

            “Never.”

            The baby was fully alert and responsive, staring at Anna with perfect blue eyes. She bowed down to kiss her daughter’s little mouth again, not able to get enough of her.

            “Miss Torv? It would be a good idea for you to start breastfeeding now, if that is your chosen method of feeding,” one of the nurses said.

            “Yes… of course,” Anna had planned on breastfeeding but didn’t really have any idea how to do it.

            “Don’t worry ma’am, I’ll help you get started. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be a pro,” The nurse said, sensing Anna’s worry.

            As the nurse began helping Anna feed the baby, Josh decided to go let Susan know she’d been born.

            “I’ll be right back, sweetheart. I’m going to go let your mom know she’s a grandma,”

            “Okay,” Anna smiled.

            Josh kissed both his girls’ heads, and walked out to the waiting room. He found Susan nervously flipping through an old magazine. As soon as she saw him, she stood up.

            “What’s going on? Is the baby born?” She asked.

            “Yeah, she is healthy as can be. She weighs 6 pounds 11 ounces and is the most perfect, beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on. Anna did amazing, Susan. You should be extremely proud of her.”

            Tears of joy poured down Susan’s face. Today had just been a cry-fest for everyone.

            “I have never been more proud of her in my entire life. When can I see the baby?”

            “Anna is feeding her right now, but I will come get you as soon as she’s finished.”

            Susan walked over and wrapped her arms around Josh, hugging him tightly.

            “You are a great man, Josh. I know I have told you that a thousand times, but I never want you to forget that. Now go be with your family.”

            Josh hugged her firmly and then headed back to Anna and the baby. When he entered the room, Anna looked up at him and smiled, their baby girl safely tucked away under a nursing blanket. He sat down by her side and ran his hand along her face.

            “Hi,” He spoke sweetly.

            “Hi yourself.”

            “Your mom started crying when I told her. She’s very proud of you.”

            “I can’t wait for her to see the baby. Now all she needs is a name.”

            “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that, too. Anything come to mind when you saw her for the first time?”

            Anna looked at him with twinkling eyes, “Halle.”

            “Halle,” Josh let the name roll off of his tongue. It was a beautiful name, very strong and feminine. “I like it a lot. Does it mean something special?”

            “It means ‘unexpected gift.’ I saw it in one of the baby books, but never thought about it again until I saw her face. It fits her perfectly, doesn’t it?”

            “It does. She surely is an unexpected gift, but undoubtedly the best gift I’ve ever been given.”

            “I couldn’t agree more. I want you to pick her middle name.”

            Josh had no idea where to even start. There were hundreds of thousands of names in the world; how was he supposed to choose one? Women were way better at this kind of stuff than men.

            “Well… what about Grace? That’s my sister’s middle name, and it means ‘love.’”

            “Halle Grace Jackson. It’s perfect.”

            She gave him her most dazzling smile, looking abnormally beautiful for only giving birth 45 minutes ago. He felt pretty proud of himself for picking a perfect middle name on the very first try.

Josh sat there with his little family, feeling extremely satisfied and prideful. Anna had been nursing about 40 minutes when a nurse came in.

“Miss Torv, I need to take the baby into the nursery for a bath. Is that okay?”

She wasn’t ready to let Halle out of her sight yet.

“Is there any way you can bathe her in here? I don’t want her to be away from me.”

“Yes, I will bring the equipment in here. You can stop nursing now to get her prepared for the bath.”

Halle cried a little bit when Anna stopped nursing her, but seemed perfectly content after a few seconds. Anna laid her down in her lap so she could take off the blanket and the hat easier. Underneath the pink beanie, she saw her daughter’s head was covered in downy blonde hair. She tenderly ran her hand over Halle’s head, feeling the soft fuzz. When the nurse wheeled in the tub, Anna tentatively unwrapped the blanket from her baby. She was a little afraid Halle would get too cold, but knew that she was just being overprotective. The nurse carefully picked up the baby, whom immediately started crying as soon as she was away from her mother. The sound made Anna’s heart beat fast, adrenaline beginning to surge through her body. This cry was much different than her hungry cry. Anna then realized that she was able to sense what Halle’s cries meant, like some sort of superhero. She’d been a mother for less than an hour, and it was already fantastic.

Even though she knew her daughter wasn’t in danger, Anna still felt anxious at the thought of Halle being away from her. She had carried this precious baby for almost 9 months; it would take quite a bit of time before she felt comfortable letting anyone else touch her. This was excluding Josh and their mothers, of course.

At once, Anna realized that Josh hadn’t gotten to hold his own daughter yet. When the nurse had finished sponge bathing her, she put the baby in Anna’s arms. She swiftly stopped crying and closed her eyes.

“Someone is already attached to her mommy,” the nurse grinned. “Does she have a name that we can put on the birth certificate yet?”

“Halle Grace Jackson,” Anna answered, never taking her eyes off of her newborn’s face.

“That’s a beautiful name. I’ll have Mr. Jackson write it down so we can get the spelling correct.”

Josh wrote down her name on a piece of paper, and the nurse scurried off to take care of more patients.

“Would you like to hold her now, Joshua?” Anna asked.

Josh wanted nothing more than to hold her, but he wanted to make sure Anna was ready to let her go.

“Are you sure, honey? It’s perfectly fine if you need more time with her.”

“She’s just as much yours as she is mine. Here,” Anna cautiously placed their daughter into Josh’s awaiting arms. He could now see why Anna was so reluctant to let her go. She was as light as a feather, her little body wrapped in pink, so soft and warm. He rocked her slowly back and forth, watching her tiny blue eyes close as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber. He bent his head down, planting a soft kiss on her petite nose. She had a gloriously sweet scent, like nothing he had ever smelled before. In the few moments she’d been in his arms, he promised himself he would never let anything hurt her, no matter what. He would do absolutely anything to make her happy. His world revolved around this itty-bitty 6-pound baby and her beautiful mother. Tears of bliss made their way down Josh’s cheeks once again.

“Little bug, you have daddy hopelessly wrapped around your tiny finger,” He whispered.

“You’re a natural, Joshua. She must know that you’re her daddy. Look at how serene she looks,” Anna pointed out.

Halle was sound asleep, with what looked like the hint of a smile at the corners of her lips.

“Should we let your mom have a turn with her?” Josh asked.

“Sure. We could have a nurse go and get her.”

Josh managed to flag down a nurse, who gladly said she would go and get Susan. Only seconds later, she appeared in the doorway beaming. When she saw Halle in Josh’s arms, her knees got a little bit weak. She slowly walked over and sat in a chair beside him, gazing at her new granddaughter. Josh daintily placed his daughter into her grandmother’s loving arms.

“Oh my goodness me, look at you. Hi there my little love,” Susan said. “Oh Annie, I know it’s too early to tell, but I swear she looks just like you when you were a baby. She’s absolutely gorgeous.”

“Let’s hope she looks just like her mama,” Josh smiled, looking at Anna.

Anna smiled back and kissed him. “We named her Halle Grace. Halle means ’unexpected gift’ and Grace means ‘love.’”

“Halle Grace, what a perfect name for a perfect little angel. It fits her to a T,” Susan stated, caressing the baby’s soft face.

“We thought so, too,” Anna agreed.

“You had a fast labor, honey. You’re really lucky.”

“I was very lucky, it only took about 6 hours altogether. It hurt like hell, but I would go through it a million times if it meant I would get my sweet baby girl out of it."

“I am so proud of you for going through with a natural birth. She is so alert! You can’t even tell that she is 3 weeks early.”

“I guess she was ready to make her appearance,” Josh laughed, smoothing his hand over her little head.

“I’m so glad she did, too. I don’t think I could’ve handled three more weeks of pregnancy,” Anna added.

“Do you know when you’ll get to bring her home?” Susan questioned.

“They want me to stay for 2 more days, just to make sure everything is alright.”

“Do you guys need anything from your house? I’d be glad to make a trip.”

“Thanks, but I packed a take-home bag full of everything I should need for the next couple days.”

“Alright, honey. As much as I’d like to hold her forever, I can tell how anxious you are to get her back.”

Standing up, Susan gingerly placed Halle back into her mother’s arms. Anna instantly lit up, finally feeling complete again. The baby made a cooing noise that made Anna want to kiss her all over. She was so unbelievably precious.

“I think it’s about time to nurse her again. You can stay if you’d like, mum.”

“I’d love to sweetie, but you need some alone time with your family. I’ll come back first thing in the morning,” Susan leaned down to kiss her and Halle’s heads. “You are going to be a phenomenal mother, Anna. I love you.”

“Thank you, mum. I love you, too.”

After patting Josh’s shoulder and kissing Halle once more, Susan headed home. Anna decided to try to feed Halle by herself this time, and miraculously did it with ease. She felt pretty proud of herself. Anna was starting to believe she was born to be a mother.

 

**_Chapter 58_ **

            Two days later, Halle had gotten even stronger and healthier, and was finally ready to head home. Anna had dressed her in a purple onesie with matching pants and wrapped her in a fleece blanket to take her outside. Although she was still pretty sore from just giving birth, it was much easier to walk around than it had been compared to the last couple of days. Cradling Halle in her arms, Anna headed to the car with Josh by her side. He had already installed the car seat and had it checked by a doctor to make sure he had done it correctly. When they reached the car, Anna carefully placed her sleeping infant in the car seat and buckled her in snuggly. She started to shut the door when her heart leaped a little bit, not feeling all that comfortable leaving her baby back there alone.

            “Joshua, I’m going to sit back here with her on the way home,” Anna said.

            “Okay, Miss Overprotective,” Josh teased.

            “I can’t help it! It just comes naturally!”

            “I know honey, I’m just joking. You’re already a great mom.”

            “I feel like I was made for this.”

            “I think you were, too.”

They finally made it to their home 20 minutes later, thanks to Josh’s tedious driving. Anna unhooked the seatbelt from the car seat and carried it inside. It was so thrilling being home with their baby—it felt like their little family was finally complete. Setting the car seat on the table, Anna unbuckled Halle and delicately picked her up so she wouldn’t wake her. She had planned on putting her in the bassinet, but after her baby was in her arms, she just couldn’t put her down. Anna decided to sit on the couch so she could cuddle her. Suddenly, like butterfly wings, the baby’s eyes fluttered open and stared at her new surroundings.

“Welcome home, Halle Grace,” Anna spoke softly, kissing Halle’s head.

Josh came and joined his family on the couch after bringing everything from the car inside.

“Hi there little bug. Did you have a good nap?” Josh said.

Anna smiled up at him, “When is your mom going to be here?”

“She should be here in about an hour, I’m guessing. Did you want to feed Halle before she gets here?”

“Yes, I’m sure she’s hungry. She hasn’t eaten in almost two hours.”

“Okay, I’ll start on some dinner then. Might as well cook something while I have the energy—God knows it’s not going to last long.”

About an hour later, there was a knock at the front door. While Anna finished up feeding Halle, Josh answered it, finding his mother standing on the other side.

“Hey mom, come in, I’m so glad you made it,” Josh said, pulling her into a hug.

“Hi, Joshua. Yes, the taxi driver found it with ease. Now, where is my granddaughter? I have been going insane waiting to see her!”

“Anna has her in the living room. Follow me.”

“You have a beautiful home, Joshua. I never knew this country was so gorgeous—I would die to live this close to the beach!”

“Well mom, you could always move out here.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

As Fiona and Josh stepped into the living room, Anna looked up from where she sat holding Halle.

“Fiona, it’s so nice to see you. I have someone here who has been dying to meet you,” Anna said.

“Anna, honey, you look wonderful. You can’t even tell you’ve just given birth,” Fiona claimed, sitting down next to Anna on the couch. Looking at her tiny granddaughter for the very first time, she was even more tempted to take Josh up on his offer to move out here.

“Meet Halle Grace Jackson,” Anna smiled, placing the baby in Fiona’s arms. Halle’s light blue eyes fixed on her grandmother’s face.

“Halle Grace, what a beautiful name. Aisleagh will be so pleased to hear they share the same middle name. Oh you two, she is perfect,” Fiona spoke, grazing the baby’s cheek. “I could just hold her forever.”

“I feel the exact same way. I’ve been a pretty bad baby hog, haven’t I Joshua?” Anna laughed.

He walked over and sat next to Anna on the sofa. “You’re her mother, you’re supposed to hog her. I’d be a little concerned if you didn’t,” Josh grinned.

Halle cooed and made cute little baby noises, joining in on the conversation and making everyone smile.

“Only 3 days old, and already has a little personality. How did her birth go, Anna?”

“I did it naturally, so it was extremely painful. Luckily it only took around 6 hours.”

“You did a natural birth? Honey, my hat goes off to you. That is outstanding.”

“Thank you. As badly as it hurt, it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Look at what I got out of it,” Anna stated, touching Halle’s petite nose. She felt Josh’s hand run through her hair and cuddled into him.

“How long are you staying, ma? We’ve got the guest bedroom all made up for you,” Josh announced.

“I was only planning on a couple of days until I saw this sweet face. Now I never want to leave.”

“Well you can stay as long as you want,” Anna added.

“I would love to, but you and Josh need some time alone with Halle. She won’t be this tiny for very long.”

Thinking about that made Anna a little bit sad—she wanted her daughter to stay a baby forever. Yet, the thought of teaching her how to walk, talk, swim, ride a bike, bake cookies, and millions of other things also excited her. Until Halle was born, Anna hadn’t known how badly she’d wanted to be a mother.

 

**_Chapter 59_ **

That night, after everyone had gotten ready to go to sleep, Anna and Josh sat on their bed with Halle. She was sound asleep in Josh’s arms, looking more like a glass doll than a baby. Anna leaned her head on Josh’s shoulder, sighing in contentment.

“Can you believe it has only been 10 months since we became an official couple? It feels like we’ve been together for years,” Anna said.

“It is pretty crazy to think about, but in reality, we have been together for years. I think that’s one of the reasons being a couple is such a walk in the park; we already had a great friendship before we starting dating. I believe a solid foundation is a necessity for any relationship, and we were lucky enough to have one.”

“You said that perfectly, Joshua. I couldn’t agree more,” She said, turning her head to kiss his stubbly cheek. “I have been thinking lately. Maybe we were supposed to have waited to be together so you could come to Australia to find me. If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t have this beautiful home; or most of all, our perfect little girl. I feel like we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.”

Looking down at his sleeping daughter, Josh whispered, “That’s because we are.”

After a few more minutes of gazing at their sleeping baby, Anna yawned, realizing she was exhausted.

“Joshua, we should get some sleep. I’m going to have to feed her in a couple of hours.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Josh agreed as he handed Halle to Anna. She placed her carefully in her bassinet, which was right next to Anna, and made sure she was swaddled nice and tight.

“Mommy loves you so much, baby,” Anna murmured, kissing Halle’s forehead. Anna turned off the bedside lamp and cuddled in close to Josh. She ran her hand up and down his bare chest and trailed tender kisses down his neck. Josh felt himself getting aroused, so he turned his body and faced her.

“Honey, you’re making me want you very badly, and I know I can’t have you right now,” Josh whispered.

“Sorry, it’s just been a few days since I’ve slept next to you. I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

Josh softly kissed her lips and pulled her into his chest.

“Good to know you’re still crazy about me.”

“Always.”

 

**_Chapter 60_ **

A few days later after Fiona had left, Josh woke up in the morning to find Anna fast asleep on her stomach, one hand splayed across Halle’s chest in her bassinet. He vaguely remembered waking up a few times during the night as she was feeding the baby, but had fallen back asleep. Taking one look at her face he could tell she probably hadn’t slept more than a few hours all night. Hell, she probably hadn’t gotten more than 12 hours of sleep since Halle was born. Quietly getting out of bed, Josh headed into the kitchen to make some breakfast. He cracked some eggs in a pan and got out some veggies, milk, and cheese to make omelets. Just as he finished cooking, her heard a shrill cry coming from the bedroom. Heading into his and Anna’s room he found Halle wriggling and fussing, obviously hungry. Not wanting her to wake Anna, Josh carefully picked her up and carried her into the kitchen. In the refrigerator he found a bottle and put it in the microwave to warm it. Halle’s cries became more urgent and loud as her hunger increased.

“Shhh… it’s okay. Daddy’s going to feed you,” Josh soothed, oscillating her.

When the bottle was done warming, Josh checked the temperature by dripping some onto his wrist. Halle calmed down instantly once she had the bottle in her mouth. It was crazy to Josh how much this tiny little person could eat. Sitting on the couch, he stared down at his beautiful little girl who never failed to put a smile in his heart. This was the very first time he’d ever been alone with her, making this moment pretty special for him. He watched as Halle’s eyes fluttered closed and her breathing began to quicken, falling asleep in his arms. As he cradled her, Josh thought back to the day they found out Anna was pregnant. He remembered their initial fear and how they thought they’d made a mistake. Seeing her now, asleep in his arms, he couldn’t believe they’d ever thought she was a mistake, even if it was only for a few minutes. Simply judging by the way Anna looked at her, he knew she was the best thing that had ever happened to them. Now the only thing that was missing in their little family was Anna sharing his and Halle’s last name.

When Anna opened her eyes, she felt groggy and weak, almost like she had been drugged. She blinked and rubbed her eyes to clear her vision and looked at the clock: 12:19 PM.

“Oh my God,” She blurted, sitting up in her bed. She had been asleep for 4 hours without waking up to feed Halle. Frantically looking in the bassinet, she found it empty, and panicked a little bit. She hurriedly jumped out of bed and found Josh rocking the baby on the couch, an empty bottle on the coffee table. It felt like a thousand pounds was being lifted off of her shoulders. As she sighed in relief, Josh turned around.

“Good morning, sweetheart. I thought I’d let you sleep in a little bit,” He said.

“I appreciate it,” Anna said, coming to sit next to him on the couch. She leaned over and saw her daughter sound asleep, content as could be. “I just can’t believe I slept that long—did I sleep through her cries, too?”

“I went and got her as soon as she started to fuss so she wouldn’t wake you up.”

“Oh, that’s such a relief. I felt like the worst mum in the world for a second.”

“Anna, you’re an incredible mom. You wake up every two hours without a single complaint. Tonight, it’s my turn. You need the sleep.”

“Joshua, it’s really okay. I don’t mind it at all.”

In all actuality, Anna didn’t think she could sleep through the night without checking on Halle multiple times. She had even started sleeping with her hand on the baby’s chest to make sure she was still breathing. It was hard adjusting to carrying your child inside of you for almost nine months, then suddenly having them physically here with you. At least when Halle was inside of her Anna could feel her moving, knowing she was alive and safe. It was also difficult letting someone else take care of her baby, since Anna had been her lifeline for so long.

“I know you don’t mind, but you need to have energy. Not just for yourself but for Halle, too.”

Anna knew Josh was right, but that still didn’t change anything. She just needed to tell him the truth.

“Joshua, the truth is that it’s hard for me to let anyone else take care of her. I’ve been taking care of her since the moment of her conception. No matter what I’m still going to wake up many times during the night just to make sure she’s breathing. I’m her mother, it’s just what I do.”

“I understand. I know how hard it is for you to be away from her, but I never got the privilege of feeling her move every single day. I’m not volunteering to tend to her just so you can get some sleep; I want to take care of her and be her father, too.”

Anna had been so caught up in her intense mommy emotions that she had totally ignored Josh’s. He was her father just as much as Anna was her mother. Anna felt extremely guilty.

“I-I am so sorry,” Anna whispered, putting her hand on his face. She didn’t know what else to say.

“Sweetheart, it’s alright, you don’t have to feel bad. Let’s just take turns with her during the night, okay?” Josh smiled and shook his head. “Look at us, we’re arguing over a baby.”

Anna laughed and leaned her head on Josh’s shoulder. Halle’s sky blue eyes were watching them; almost as if she was enjoying having her parents quarrel over her.

“Do you see what you do to us, little bug? We’re crazy about you,” Anna grinned. She smoothed her knuckles back and forth on Halle’s little hand, and melted when the baby wrapped her hand around Anna’s finger. After a few seconds, Anna remembered something. Abruptly, she got up off of the couch and went into her and Josh’s room. Opening her jewelry box, she slid on her engagement ring; she was so glad her fingers weren’t swollen anymore. It felt so good—so right—to finally have it back on. As she walked back to the couch, Josh looked at her in confusion.

“What were you doing?” He asked.

She held up her hand to show him the ring.

“My fingers aren’t swollen anymore, so I can finally put it back on. I missed looking down and seeing it everyday. It always reminds me of how lucky I am to belong to you.”

Josh smiled and leaned over to kiss her. He loved that she was finally able to put the ring back on; not only did it look beautiful on her, it let her many suitors know that she was his. “I can’t wait to marry you, Anna. We should start planning the wedding as soon as possible.”

She looked at him with twinkling eyes and gave him one of those adorable crooked grins. “I kind of already started planning it. Not officially or anything, I just wrote down some ideas that I like.”

            “I’d love to hear them.”

            Anna went and got the notebook she’d written her ideas down in and showed it to Josh. He carefully read through them and gave her his ideas and opinions as well. She loved how instead of letting her plan everything he was generally interested in helping organize the wedding as well. He had to be the definition of perfection.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Chapter 61_ **

            Two months and five days later, it was the day before the Torv-Jackson wedding. They had both decided to get married on the beach behind their home with only a few close friends and family members. Anna had shrunk down to her normal weight in a little over a month, which she was extremely happy about.

Her and her mother had gone dress shopping for weeks trying to find the perfect gown, and finally found it at a small boutique in Sydney a few weeks before the wedding. It was strapless, simple, and elegant. It was also very fitted, making Anna additionally grateful that she was back to her thin self. The bottom of the dress flowed like a soft wave whenever she walked, making her feel like she was royalty. It showed off just the right amount of skin and complimented Anna’s complexion beautifully. She couldn’t wait to see Josh’s face when he saw her in it.

            Anna and Susan had also found beautiful peach bridesmaids dresses that would look spectacular with the beach sunset. Anna had asked Aisleagh to be the maid of honor, which she had accepted with a huge hug that almost knocked them both to the ground. Anna’s childhood best friend and Jasika were her other two bridesmaids. Josh had picked John Noble for his best man, and had some of his best buddies from Vancouver for groomsmen. Everyone seemed to be immensely excited for the wedding.

            Later that night, Josh was relaxing in bed while trying to overcome his writer’s block for a screenplay he’d been working on. He’d been at it for about 3 hours and was starting to get a little frustrated. Deciding he needed a break, he went to see what Anna was doing. He found her in Halle’s room, rocking the 9-week-old baby and singing Fisher’s “You” to her softly. It was her and Halle’s special song that always seemed to put their daughter right to sleep. Standing in the doorway, Josh quietly watched the loves of his life. Just to see Halle in her mother’s arms was enough to bring him to his knees.

            “…and you make me want to live for you,” Anna sang softly, finishing the last phrase of the sweet song. Sound asleep, Anna put the baby in her crib, which she had been sleeping in for a couple of weeks. Since then, she had been sleeping almost entirely through the night, only waking up 2-3 times. Anna and Josh were both happy about that, since they pretty much sleep-walked through the first few weeks of her life. Walking over to him, Anna put her arms around his middle and rested her head on his chest.

            “Are you ready to get to bed? We’ve got a big day tomorrow,” Josh said, loosely wrapping his arms around her waist.

            “Yes. I’m beat.”

            Anna’s breathing became soft and rhythmic as she fell asleep in Josh’s arms. Closing his eyes, he smoothed his cheek along the top of her head and breathed her in. At this time tomorrow, everything would be perfect. She would finally be Mrs. Anna Jackson, which was all he’d wanted for so many years.

 

**_Chapter 62_ **

Anna watched the morning sunlight dance across Joshua’s sleeping face and had never been so swept away. Lightly, she smoothed her hand through his hair and continued downward until she was cupping his cheek. Drowsily, his eyes flickered open, a twinkle forming as soon as they focused on her face. In that moment, there was no need for words. This was the day they had been anticipating for months, years even. They both knew they should get up and get started on the day, but couldn’t seem to stop gazing at each other. If it weren’t for Halle’s cry breaking their trance, they probably would’ve been late for their own wedding. Closing her eyes, Anna brought her lips to his and gave him a deep kiss, wondering how it was possible to love someone more with each passing day.

“I’ll start breakfast if you go and get bug,” Anna spoke against his lips.

Josh nodded and kissed her again. Getting out of bed, Josh went into his daughter’s room and picked her up. Even though she was barely 2 months old, there was a spark of recognition in those pretty eyes when she saw her father. He loved the man she was making him; he’d never felt more confident and proud than when he was holding his tiny little girl. She was starting to get such a little personality, constantly cooing and smiling. He could already tell that she was going to look like her mom. Susan had even compared her to Anna’s baby pictures and they were almost identical. Even her eyes were beginning to change into a pretty green. The only thing Josh knew for certain was that she definitely had his nose. Anna couldn’t get enough of it either; she was constantly giving her little Eskimo kisses. Bringing her into the living room, Josh laid Halle on her play mat that was equipped with an abundance of hanging toys and mirrors. It was her absolute favorite place to be, besides her mommy and daddy’s arms. Josh walked into the kitchen and found Anna happily flipping pancakes.

“I can take over from here if you want to feed her,” Josh said.

“Okay, I’ll go do that. She has a long day ahead of her, too.” Anna had spent quite a while trying to find the perfect dress for Halle for the wedding. She wanted it to be pretty but also something she would be comfortable in. After weeks of searching, Anna had finally found a beautiful silky dress with ruffles and a netted fabric over top with tiny cherry blossoms. As soon as she saw the little flowers, she knew it was perfect. She was just as excited for Josh to see Halle’s dress as she was for him to see hers. Picking up her daughter from her play mat, Anna’s heart warmed when the baby gave her a big, toothless grin.

“Good morning baby girl,” Anna smiled, kissing her tiny lips. There were many people flying in today for the wedding that hadn’t even seen Halle yet. Anna knew that her adorable daughter would be getting an abundance of attention. When Aisleagh, Dylan, and Jasika saw her for the first time, Anna was a little scared that they were going to steal her. Now with at least 20 people flying in, she probably wouldn’t get to hold her baby all day. Normally the thought would’ve made her extremely nervous, but she was so excited to be marrying Josh that no negative emotions could possibly intervene. Besides, Halle loved people and Anna was comfortable with every single person at the wedding holding her. Anna also knew that both Susan and Fiona wouldn’t let Halle out of their sight; they were worse than Anna with their protectiveness. They also got along great, which Anna had always suspected they would. When they had met for the first time, it was like they’d known each other for years. Now they constantly talked on the phone, Susan sharing all of Halle’s new achievements. Anna wouldn’t be surprised if Fiona moved to Australia soon.

After feeding Halle, Anna lied her back down on her play mat and went to eat breakfast with Josh. She loved how open their home was so that she could keep a perfect on her baby while still enjoying some time alone with her soon-to-be-husband. Soon, the hair-dresser/make-up artist and both of their mothers would be coming to get Anna ready for her big day. She knew that Josh would have to leave and go hang out with some of his buddies until the wedding, since it was tradition for the husband not to see the bride in her dress until she walked down the aisle. She wanted to spend every second with him until he had to go.

“Joshua, have you realized that today will be the longest we have been apart in almost a year?” Anna asked, astounded.

“Damn, you’re right. I didn’t even think about that.”

Reminiscing, Josh couldn’t even imagine his life before Anna. It felt like they’d been together their entire lives, and he wouldn’t change that for the world. She was the love of his life, the mother of his child, the person that brought out the best in him. He’d be away from her for about 10 hours, which was about 10 hours too long. When he’d told her he didn’t want to spend one second without her when he’d proposed, he hadn’t been lying. He wished he could stay here with her all day.

            “Maybe time will go by fast and we won’t even realize that 10 hours has gone by,” Anna acquiesced.

            “Possibly, but I doubt it. At least not for me. When I came to Australia I had every intention of spending every second with you for the rest of my life.”

            Anna smiled and moved to go sit on his lap in the chair. “Do you think we can convince our mothers to break tradition?”

            “Not a chance.”

            Anna knew he was right, but still nothing could affect the great mood she was in. She turned her body on the chair so she was straddling him and began to smooth her hands across his muscular chest. Tossing her long hair to the side, she titled her head and started sucking on the groove between his collarbone and the right side of his neck. Her hips started to involuntarily grind against his, arousing him instantly. They hadn’t made love since before Halle was born, wanting to make their wedding night extra special. However, that didn’t stop Anna from teasing him a little bit.

            “Whenever you start to miss me, just think about tonight. That’s what I’ll be thinking about,” Anna whispered humidly in his ear. She usually didn’t talk provocatively to Josh, but there was a time and place for everything. She could tell it was exactly what he needed to hear.

            If it hadn’t been for the knock at the door, he probably wouldn’t have been able to resist swooping her up in his arms and carrying her to the bedroom. Now he was forced to compose himself, which wasn’t going to be easy after Anna’s wanton words. She kissed him once on the lips, which didn’t help his cause whatsoever, and went to answer the door.

            “Hi honey! I hope you’re all ready to get started on your big day!” Susan announced as she and Fiona walked in.

            “Now Joshua, it’s time for you to get in the shower and then get out of here. Your friends are all waiting for you outside, so get moving!” Fiona instructed, pulling him up from the chair by the collar of his shirt. It reminded him of getting in trouble as a child, which had happened a lot.

            “Okay, okay, I’m going,” Josh grumbled, trying to hide the excitement in his pants with his hands. When he looked at Anna, she had a hint of a sly smile on her lips, her eyes twinkling with mischief. This woman was going to be the death of him.

            After Josh had showered and gotten ready, he found the girls sitting in the living room looking through what he guessed was some kind of wedding hairstyle magazine.

            “Alright, I guess I’ll head out then,” he said reluctantly. Susan and Fiona waved him away without a second glance, but Anna got up and folded him into a tight embrace. He hugged her back equally as hard, burying his face in her neck.

            “I love you, Joshua.”

            “I love you, Anna.” Pulling away, he tilted her chin up with his fingers and brushed his lips with hers. And then he was gone, her great mood slipping away. Anna felt herself growing cold and lonely, similar to the feelings she’d had for the 3 months she’d been without him. She had to repeatedly tell herself that she was going to see him soon—that she was going to marry him. She’d never have to be without him again, never have to endure that solitary tumult that had almost broken her. Anna knew one thing that would make her feel better.

            “Fiona, can I steal Halle from you, please?”

            “She’s your daughter, sweetie. You don’t have to ask,” Fiona professed with a smile.

            Anna hugged her baby to her chest, deeply inhaling her delicious scent. It was unreal how much she loved this tiny person. She sat down between her mother and Fiona and rubbed Halle’s back in a circular motion. The baby’s breathing started to become deep and rhythmic, signaling she was asleep.

            “Annie, what about this hairstyle?” Susan advocated. It was a beautiful, elegant up-do, but not really what Anna was imagining.

            “It’s pretty, but I’m aiming for simplicity. I don’t want to look all made-up so that Joshua won’t even recognize me.”

            “I was hoping you’d say that. I bookmarked some more simplistic styles that I thought you’d like.”

            And so the wedding preparation began.

 

**_Chapter 63_ **

            As the day went on, Anna’s mood began to improve. The hair/makeup artist had done an excellent job, giving her exactly what she’d wanted. Her hair was pulled back in a twist with loose pieces left out in the front to frame her face. Her makeup was all natural except for some mascara on her top lashes and red lipstick to accentuate her features. As she stood looking at herself in the mirror, she felt beautiful and so extremely happy. In only one hour, she would be a Jackson. Startled out of her reverie by a knock on her bedroom door, Anna walked over and opened it.

            “Anna, I have someone who wants to show you her pretty dress,” Fiona grinned, handing Halle to her. Anna had been trapped in her house all day getting ready for the wedding while Susan and Fiona had taken turns showing off the baby to the guests. Anna hadn’t seen her for a couple hours, which was the longest she’d ever been away from her. Eagerly, she took Halle from Susan and secured her in an embrace. She tucked the baby’s head under her chin and rocked slowly back and forth.

            “Mommy missed you so much, baby.” Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Anna laid her daughter down on her lap to get a better look at her. The cherry blossom dress looked adorable on her, making her look more like a little girl than a baby. Fiona had even stuck a tiny bow in her blonde hair that matched the dress perfectly.

            “She looks so sweet, doesn’t she?” Fiona gushed, leaning against the doorframe and watching them.

            “Yes, I love it. Thanks for getting her ready, Fiona.”

            “No need to thank me, I loved every second of it. I’ve never seen a happier child, Anna.”

            Almost as if she knew someone was talking about her, Halle smiled and cooed in delight. Anna melted. “She has quite the little personality,” Anna agreed, putting the baby back on her chest and standing up. “Have you seen Joshua recently?”

            “Yes, I saw him just before I came to see you. He wanted to see Halle in her dress. Oh yes, he wanted me to tell you that the cherry blossoms couldn’t be more perfect.”

            Anna smiled. She knew he would like that. She just wished she could’ve seen his face when he saw her. Anna was getting restless being stuck in this house without Joshua and her baby. She didn’t know what she was going to do to pass the time for the next 45 minutes.

             “Well Anna, I’m going to go out and help your mom get everyone situated. How about you keep Halle? One of us will come and get her when it’s time for you to come out.”

            “I’d like that. Thank you so much for this, Fiona. For the ring, for helping with the wedding, for being a great grandmother to my daughter, for your son, for everything.”

            Fiona walked over and kissed her cheek. “You deserve the very best, Anna. I’m so glad Josh came to his senses and snatched you up before someone else could.”

            Anna laughed and pulled her into a hug. Then Fiona turned and walked out the door, leaving Anna pacing her bedroom for what had to have been the longest half an hour of her life.

 

 

**_Chapter 64_ **

“Anna, it’s time,” Susan announced as she opened Anna’s bedroom door. Hearing those words, everything suddenly became real, making her heart pound in anticipation. This was really happening; she was marrying Joshua. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Anna kissed Halle and handed her to Susan. “Are you nervous?”

“No, not nervous. I’m excited, maybe even a little dubious.”

“Well honey, all I know is that Josh is going to collapse when he sees you. You look like a goddess, I can’t believe that you came from me.”

Anna smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You are the most beautiful person in the entire world.” Just then, the music signaling the bride’s entrance began to play.

“You’d better head out there. Wouldn’t want to make Josh think you got cold feet,” Susan winked, heading out the front door and into the crowd. Without a moment’s hesitation, Anna walked out of her bedroom and towards the back doors that led to the patio. As she reached the doors, two men opened them for her, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful scene. Aisleagh had gotten white wooden chairs and made rows, leaving room for her to walk in the middle. Her pathway was sprinkled with pink flowers all the way up to where Joshua stood waiting for her under an arch spiraled with white fabric and little yellow lights. The second she stepped onto her veranda, everyone turned their heads to look at her, beaming with happiness. Then Josh looked up.

His mouth fell open as his eyes fixed on her. Anna was beautiful everyday, but this was just unreal. Her dress, her hair, her makeup; everything was perfect. Though the best part was the way she was looking at him as if nothing else in the world existed. He knew he was looking at her the same way because everything else around them seemed to disappear. Each time she took a step closer to him, his love for her grew stronger. Flashbacks of their time together seemed to project around her, everything leading up to this moment: The first time he saw her on the set of “Fringe;” becoming best friends; realizing he was in love with her their first time in Seattle; how tightly she’d embraced him when he’d come to Australia; their first real kisses in his motel room; Her saying she wanted to be more than just friends; the first time they’d said “I love you,” the first time they’d made love; buying an apartment; proposing to her at the top of the Space Needle; finding out she was pregnant; Halle’s birth; and now watching her as she came nearer and nearer until she was standing in front of him. He took her hands in his, not once breaking eye contact with her, and mouthed, “I love you.”

“I love you,” Anna mouthed back, trying her best to listen to the marriage celebrant but failing miserably. It was hard to focus on anything but the perfect man in front of her. The second he’d locked eyes with hers as she walked out the doors, Anna had no doubt in her mind that he was head over heels for her. The way he looked at her was indescribable, something special between soul mates that can never be experienced by others in the same exact way. She felt like she’d floated to him, not remembering actually walking down the path. 6 years ago, she would never have guessed in a million years that she’d be marrying her witty costar. Now here they were, about to be married in front of their closest friends and family members, the very people who had watched them fall in love. They’d come such a long way and had such an amazing ride. Their story was already one for the books and it’d barely begun.

After saying “I do” and slipping the rings onto each other’s fingers, the words everyone had been waiting for were finally spoken: “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Beaming relentlessly, Josh grabbed the back of her neck with both hands and pulled her into a deep kiss. Everyone stood up and clapped, genuinely delighted that Anna and Josh were finally a happily married couple. After they broke their kiss they folded each other in a tight embrace, the huge grins never leaving their faces. They were finally “the Jacksons.”

 

**_Chapter 65_ **

“Anna! Josh! Come over here for one more picture!” Susan insisted, waving them over to the camera. The photos had been nonstop since the second they’d been married. The sun was now almost all the way down, leaving everything with a golden, peachy glow. It really was a picture-perfect scene. After posing for one last picture, Josh and Anna went to sit at one of the tables under a huge canopy where the reception was being held. This was the first time they’d been alone together since they’d been wed, and everyone thankfully seemed to be respecting their space. Josh took her hands in his, their rings clinking together as their fingers met.

“Do you know how long I have been waiting to finally call you Mrs. Jackson?” Josh asked.

“No idea. Why don’t you tell me,” Anna teased.

He leaned in and brushed his lips against her ear, whispering, “Since the second you walked into my life.”

Anna closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying his smoky, sultry voice. She would never get tired of hearing it; hell, she’d never get tired of anything about him. She still got butterflies when she saw him, which she’d thought were supposed to go away after a couple months of dating. Scooting her chair closer to him, she rested her head on his neck and watched the sun go down.

“Do you remember the last time we watched the sun go down together?” Anna questioned.

“Of course I do. It was the very first time we said we loved each other.”

“It seems like a lifetime ago. We have come so far.”

“And we’ve still go far to go, sweetheart. This is only the first chapter for us. We are going to travel the world and give Halle lots of brothers and sisters and be the happiest couple in the history of the universe.”

“I never dreamed my life would be this perfect.”

“Neither did I.” He cupped her cheek and touched his lips to hers. Kissing was so much better as a married couple. Pulling away, Josh decided it was time to give her a little surprise. He stood up and stuck his hand out to help her up. Confused, Anna took it and stood next to him.

“Where are we going?”

“Just follow me. I think you’re going to enjoy this.”

Josh led her to the center of the canopy to a large platform where people were dancing. When everyone saw them heading to the floor, they moved out of the way, leaving it completely empty. Giving a quick nod to Dylan, who had been put in charge of music, Anna heard a familiar melody fill the air. She instantaneously recognized the song as “Like a Star” by Corinne Bailey Rae; the song she’d said fit perfectly with the way she felt about Josh. The song they’d listened to right before they’d first made love, which was also the day their precious daughter was conceived. This was such a special song to her. Pulling her close to him, he put his hands on her hips and started to sway. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cuddled close to his chest, closing her eyes in blissful content.

“You remembered,” Anna softly rejoiced.

“Of course I did.”

Together they danced to their song, steadily moving back and forth to the rhythm. When the song ended, Anna was disappointed. But when Josh didn’t pull away, she realized he had no intention of letting her go.

            “You didn’t think I’d only dance with you one time, did you?” Josh grinned.

            Anna happily rested her head back on his warm body and closed her eyes. She felt him tenderly kiss the top of her head. They danced for what must have been an hour to some of the most beautiful music Anna had ever heard. She had expected this day to be extremely happy, but never expected it to be this happy. She never wanted to wake up from this heavenly dream.

            Yet, there was one thing missing. Lifting her head up and opening her eyes, Anna looked around until she spotted Fiona with Halle. Fiona knew exactly what she wanted. Walking over to them, Anna took the baby from Fiona and laid her across her chest where she quickly fell asleep. Josh wrapped his arms around her waist and she leaned into him, their sleeping daughter completing their little family. Now this was a moment Anna never wanted to forget.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 66_ **

By the time they said goodbye, thanked all of their guests, and cleaned up, it was past midnight. However, Anna wasn’t the least bit tired and neither was Josh. They’d both been waiting for this night for months.

            After putting their exhausted daughter in her crib, Josh took Anna’s hand and led her to their bedroom. Standing in front of their bed, he turned Anna so her back was facing him. Slowly he unzipped her wedding dress, kissing every inch of her skin he exposed. Before he fully removed the garment from her, he brought his lips up to her ear.

            “Did I ever tell you how unbelievably beautiful you looked tonight?”

            “You didn’t have to. I could see it in your eyes.”

            Josh slid the silky fabric off of her shoulders and watched as it puddled to the ground with a soft thud. His heart was going crazy in his chest with anticipation, but he wanted to take this slow and make it last. Carefully he took her hair out of its wrap, its golden cascade covering her bare shoulders and half of her back. Brushing it to the side, he found her lacey bra strap and unhooked it. The article fell on top of her dress, just adding to the growing need eating its way through Josh. He reached his hands around to cup her ample breasts, her head falling back onto his shoulder in luxury. Oh, how she had missed his hands on her body. Josh slipped his hands down her stomach and stuck his fingers under her satin panties, the last piece of clothing joining the rest.

            Anna turned around and slid off his tux and boxers. She took his face in her hands as he rested his on the small of her back and pulled her close. Their lips met, the kiss becoming increasingly passionate by the second. Soon they were on the bed, rolling around in a feat of hands, lips, and hair. It didn’t take long for the air to become humid and electric—Josh simply couldn’t hold off any longer. Pinning her hands above her head, he skimmed his lips down her dewy body until he found her breast. He moved his tongue around her hard nipple, feeling her squirm beneath him. She felt completely out of control not being able to move her hands, but it was wonderfully erotic.

            Taking both of her hands in one of his, he moved his now free hand to her other breast. Anna’s eyes rolled back in her head as her back arched. She felt his pulsating member grow hard against her and grinded her hips against him. That was all he could take. Without hesitation he slid his full length inside of her. Josh brought his lips to hers while he created a slow rhythm, still holding her hands above her head. Anna surrendered her mouth to his, parting her lips in invitation. God did this feel unworldly.

            Suddenly, Anna rolled them over until she was poised above him like a statue—now she was in control. Josh swore softly as she moved her hips against him. He couldn’t breathe. He felt the start of her climax building as her walls began to tighten around him, and she collapsed on top of his muscular body. Her mouth was open wide, gasping for air like a fish out of water. She thrust faster and faster until she sailed over the top, shattering like a glass vase hitting a rock hard surface. His manhood still moved inside of her, elongating her orgasm until his release only a few seconds later.

Both of them were left breathless for several minutes after their immensely romantic encounter. Anna was sprawled out on top of Josh feeling like a melted puddle of hot wax. She could feel his heartbeat pounding like a drum against her all the way to her toes. Now that was what she called making love.

Freeing his hands from Anna’s, Josh ran his fingers through her hair.

“My wife,” He whispered huskily in her ear. The term made Anna smile in all-consuming joy. She settled her mouth over his and then snuggled into his chest. Josh wrapped his arms around her as they each fell into a contented sleep, dreaming about everything they had achieved together and all of the wonderful events yet to come.  

 

**_Chapter 67_ **

Several months later, Anna and Josh were as happy as ever. Halle was now seven months old and was the sweetest, most bubbly baby in the world. She could even say “ma-ma” and “da-da” with perfect clarity. She had brought her parents so much closer as a couple and was their complete pride and joy.

Sitting at the table, Josh sipped his coffee and looked over his newly written screenplay. Anna had just laid Halle down for a nap and came to join her husband at the table before he left for work. She picked up her new script for a popular television show role she’d just landed and began to read it.

“So, do you think you’re going to like being on this show?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, I really do. I didn’t even realize how much I’d missed acting. How’s the screenplay look?”

“Well I think it looks great, but we’ll have to see what the director says,” Josh grinned.

They continued to talk about everything and nothing, until Anna started to get the most vivid déjà vu feeling. She lifted her head from her script and stared at Josh who was engrossed in his writing. Then he picked up his coffee cup, his ring making a clinking noise as it touched the glass. Why did this look so familiar? As Josh got up to leave, he bent down to give Anna a loving kiss. It was then she remembered, leaving her in complete shock.

“Joshua,” she whispered. Her mouth hung open wide and her eyes widened as if she’d just seen a ghost.

“What? What is it?”

“This. This moment we are having. Joshua, this is the moment I dreamed of for all of those months, and could never remember until you came to me.” Now Josh’s mouth was hanging open.

“Oh my God,” he asserted incredulously.

Smiles gradually began to form on each of their faces, amazed that this was actually happening. This entire, beautiful adventure had all started when Josh acted on a dream that he, and Anna, had wanted so badly to be real, only to later watch that dream come to life. Then Josh’s arrival had finally caused Anna to remember her dream, both of them wanting more than anything for it to become as authentic as his. And here it was, unfolding before their eyes, filling their hearts with more happiness than they’d ever thought possible. The truth of their whole journey could be bottled into one simple fact: a dream dreamt alone is only a dream, but a dream dreamt together is reality. And the Jacksons had many realities yet to come.

 

 

**Soundtrack:**

_These are songs that are either featured in the writing or that inspired a section of my writing. Enjoy_ _J_

Like a Star—Corinne Bailey Rae

You—Fisher

Halo—Beyoncé

Everything Has Changed—Taylor Swift Feat. Ed Sheeran

Here With Me—Dido

Sweet Dream—Greg Laswell

A Thousand Years (Part 2)— Christina Perri Feat. Steve Kaze

Next To You (Acoustic Cover)—Conor Maynard Feat. Ebony Day

Everything—Michael Bublé

Marry Me—Train

Mama’s Song—Carrie Underwood

I Could Not Ask For More—Sara Evans

My Little Girl—Time McGraw

 

 

 


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